It is possible to take a document, scan it, convert it to a PDF and then convert that PDF to a text file with Adobe Acrobat. Doing this can save time that might otherwise be spent retyping a document. The process is simple, provided a high quality scan can be made. It is also possible to use a third party application to convert the PDF directly to a Microsoft Word document.
Turning a scanned PDF into a Text File
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Step 1
Scan the document. Save it as a PDF.
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Step 2
Open the scanned document in Adobe Acrobat.
Step 3
Select "File>Export>Text>Text Plain."
Step 4
Name the document and click "Save."
Step 5
Open the saved file and review for conversion errors.
Step 6
Save the corrected document.
Converting a scanned PDF into a Word Document
Step 1
Scan the document. Save it as a PDF.
Step 2
Open an Internet browser. Go to the first link in the Resources section below.
Step 3
Select "Browse" and upload the scanned document.
Step 4
Choose to convert the document to Word (.doc) or RTF (Rich Text Format.) Rich Text Format is compatible with Word.
Step 5
Enter the email address to which the converted document will be mailed.
Step 6
Open the document once it has been sent and check for and correct any errors.
Step 7
Save the Word document.