How to Convert Scanned Document to PDF on Mac or Windows (Online Free Incl.)?

How to Convert Scanned Document to PDF on Mac or Windows (Online Free Incl.)?

2020-10-13 14:11:00 / Posted by to OCR PDF Follow @ admin

There are so many benefits from digitizing paper documents by scanning, it saves papers, cuts time and costs, increases security…Very often, we choose to convert scanned document to image or searchable PDF for different purposes, for example, to encrypt or edit.

To convert scanned document to PDF on Mac or Windows, there are multiple solutions, it can be online free or offline to extract accurate texts from the scanned document. Whatever your final pick is, the following 4 options are workable under different circumstances.

#1 Scanned Document to Searchable PDF on Mac

If you want to convert scanned document to editable or searchable PDF on Mac, you have to find yourself a Mac OCR program first, such a program will process OCR on scanned document, recognizing texts from scanned files and export the texts in searchable PDF format.

For Mac users who want to convert scanned documents, Enolsoft PDF Converter with OCR is highly recommended, it helps convert scanned documents in image or PDF format to searchable PDF, editable Word, Excel, PowerPoint, RTFD, Text, HTML, ePub, Pages, Keynote, and image format (JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, TIFF). It supports batch conversion, can do OCR on multiple scanned documents.

Main Features of Enolsoft PDF Converter with OCR

  • Convert scanned documents saved in image or PDF format;
  • OCR scanned documents to searchable PDF, editable Word and others;
  • Batch convert scanned document to PDF;
  • Add password to PDF output;
  • Enable advanced OCR to customize the output;
  • Convert whole or partial scanned document;
  • Recognize 200+ languages from scanned document;

How to Convert Scanned Document to Searchable PDF on Mac?

  1. Download and install Enolsoft PDF Converter with OCR to your Mac;                                                                                                                                                    Free Download
  2. Add scanned documents to the program by drag and drop;scanned document to pdf mac 01
  3. Tweak OCR settings to convert scanned document on Mac. Choose to convert all pages or specific pages, turn OCR button ON. Also, you need to select file language and output format.scanned document to pdf mac02
  4. (Optional) Protect the PDF output by clicking on the lock icon and inputting the password.scanned document to pdf mac03
  5. Convert scanned document to searchable PDF on Mac. After setting up, choose all file and click Convert to save scanned document as searchable PDF on Mac.

#2 Convert Scanned Document to PDF on Mac Free with Preview

If you are working on a Mac and want to save scanned image documents as PDF format, Preview can help. The only disadvantage is that, Preview cannot convert scanned images to searchable PDF, the PDF output is still image-based.

Mac Preview is a free utility to view, edit and convert both image and PDF on macOS, it allows users to export various images as PDF format with password added.

How to Convert Scanned Document to PDF on Mac Free with Preview?

  1. Open scanned document image with Preview;
  2. Go to File>Export;                                                                                                                                      scanned to pdf preview01
  3. Then compress or protect the PDF output if necessary;                                             scanned to pdf preview02
  4. Click Save to convert scanned document image to PDF.

Tips

In the case you want to combine all scanned document to one PDF, you can follow the steps:

  1. Open a PDF created from the scanned document with Preview;
  2. Then drag and drop all other PDF files to the Thumbnails column;
  3. Go to File>Save, done.                                                                                           scanned to pdf preview03

#3 Best Scanned Document to PDF Converter for Windows

For Windows users who want to convert scanned document to PDF, an OCR tool is needed too and a PDF converter with OCR feature would be good, for example PDFMate PDF Converter Pro.

It is a Windows OCR program to convert scanned documents (image or PDF) to searchable PDF, Word, ePub, Text, HTML, or image, swf format. It supports batch convert scanned documents too, also, users are allowed to create PDF from Word, Image, ePub, etc.

Main Features of PDFMate PDF Converter Pro

  • Convert scanned documents to searchable PDF, Word, ePub, etc.;
  • Create PDF from Word, Image, etc.;
  • Batch convert scanned documents;
  • Allow advanced settings for output files;

How to Convert Scanned Document to PDF on Windows?

Tutorial #1 Convert Scanned Document to Image PDF on Windows

  1. Download and install PDFMater PDF Converter Pro to your Windows PC;
  2. Go to Create PDF, add scanned document to the program;scanned doc to pdf windows03
  3. Merge all scanned document to PDF and click Convert to export scanned documents as PDF format;

Tutorial #2 Convert Scanned Document to Searchable PDF on Windows

  1. Download and install PDFMate PDF Converter Pro onto your Windows PC;
  2. Go to Add PDF, import scanned documents to the program;scanned doc to pdf windows01
  3. Go to Advanced Settings, enable OCR and choose output as PDF;scanned doc to pdf windows02
  4. Click Convert to save scanned document as searchable PDF on Windows.

#4 Scanned Document to PDF Online Free (Mac & Windows)

The last but not the least important solution to convert scanned document to PDF is using online free tools. This method is only recommended when you are converting non confidential files or don't require high on the conversion quality, since most of the online free tools brings potential risks of information leakages, and needs further corrections on the conversion result. Anyway, there are 2 liable online free tools to convert scanned document to PDF on Mac or Windows.

#1 Google Docs

Google Docs is an online free productivity tool offered by Google, helping users to view, edit and convert Word, PDF and images. Its OCR feature allows users to convert scanned documents to searchable PDF easily, even you can edit the scanned documents before saving as PDF format.

Steps to Convert Scanned Document to PDF Online Free with Google Docs

  1. Login into Google Account;
  2. Go to Google Drive, upload scanned documents online;
  3. Right click on the scanned files and open with Google Docs;
  4. You can edit the searchable file now, after editing, go to File>Download as PDF;scanned doc to pdf google
  5. Save the PDF to your Mac or Windows PC.

Notes:

Though Google Docs allows converting and editing scanned documents, it does poor at keeping format. If you need keep original formatting in the PDF output, use a professional OCR program.

#2 Convertio (10 Pages for Free)

Convertio is an online free platform to convert numerous file types, including documents, videos, audios, images, fonts, ebooks, etc. Its OCR can convert scanned documents in PDF or image format to searchable PDF and other formats. Comparing with other online free OCR tools, it has multiple advantages, like reading much more file languages, reading 2 languages in one file, supporting more output formats. However, you can only convert 10 pages for free, for extra conversions, you have to sign up and pay.

Steps to Convert Scanned Document to PDF Online Free with Convertio

(Convertio supports converting scanned document to image PDF or searchable PDF, here we take scanned document to image PDF as example, to export as searchable PDF, just go to Convertio OCR)

  1. Go to Convertio Document Converter ;
  2. Drag and drop all scanned documents into the program;
  3. Choose output format as PDF;
  4. Click Convert to turn scanned documents to PDF online free;scanned doc to pdf online

Conclusion

No matter you want to convert scanned document to image PDF or searchable PDF, you need a tool. For better conversion results with original formatting retained, you are always recommended to use a professional tool.