How can I scan a document so it I can edit the results

When you scan documents, the resulting PDF is just a PDF container wrapping an image bearing the text of the scanned document. You will either need scanning software that supports your scanner, and that can give you the option of generating an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) formatted PDF as output. VueScan Professional has this output option without changing the actual appearance of the scanned content.

The Canon LiDE 400 scanner is around $89 USD and supported by the preceding VueScan Professional without the need for Canon scanner drivers. I have been using a Canon flatbed scanner that Canon had abandoned by 2010 with VueScan Professional and it still scans on my M2 Mac Mini Pro using the current VueScan software.

But you used the keyword "edit" and that means you will need a paid PDF Editor (Apple's Preview is not) and these typically have an OCR conversion feature with the added advantage of allowing you to edit the actual PDF content afterwards, or convert the PDF to Word .docx.

Some PDF Editors offer free trials from the vendor's website and may be available for purchase in the Mac App Store:

• Nitro PDF Pro
• PDF Expert
• Master PDF Editor (not in Mac App Store)

karlssongunvor wrote:

Thanks for the useful information! I had heard that OCR scanner software is quite expensive.....A flatbed scanner is a doable item.....but how to find the right PDF Editor ....

I would recommend Nitro PDF Pro as I am familiar with it and it is the same price in the Mac App Store as PDF Expert. On the Nitro website, they are running a 20% off ($112) sale on Nitro PDF Pro now. Master PDF Editor is $69.09 and may be less featured than Nitro PDF Pro.

Does the scanner need to be compatible with the OCR software? Or is the text once scanned into the computer converted to editable PDF OCR files by the software on the computer?

Any standalone OCR software is expensive and only cares about the PDF you provide it, not the scanner. As I mentioned, VueScan Professional can scan and output an OCRd PDF in one pass, because it has built-in OCR support. I verified that VueScan Professional supports the LiDE 400 scanner, though it supports about 7000+ scanners either with or without vendor drivers installed.

I would need the less expensive of the PDF Editors. I was looking at PDF expert.

See my answer about PDF editor costs above.

When the PDF file is converted to an OCR file, can the resulting text be edited as easily as text in a PDF might be in Preview, for example? I need to be able to edit the PDF in the PDF Editor the same way as a PDF that had not been converted.

Preview is not a PDF editor, it can only apply an annotation layer over the original text. I have both scanned a letter size page directly to an OCRd PDF via VueScan Professional, and I have also used Nitro PDF Pro to convert the PDF in-place with OCR'd text, which Nitro PDF can subsequently edit the the original text content of the PDF.

Andrew

The scanner is not as important as the software. You will need what is known as OCR software (optical character recognition) to scan documents and convert them to editable text.

Also, don't expect editable photos or graphs and charts if they are also part of the scanned documents.

Make a google search for OCR software. There's also specifically designed scanners for document archiving that include OCR software.

For example: click here ➜ CZUR ET24Pro - Easy 320DPI Book Scanning

karlssongunvor Said:

"How can I scan a document so it I can edit the results: I need to be able to scan black and white documents. But, when I have them in the computer, I want to be able to edit them. Do know any way to do this? Also, if you might know of a cheap, simple, good scanner for 81/2x 11 inch documents."

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Try using software called OmniPage.

OmniPage is scan-to-PDF software, and would be worth it, if these are not hundreds of pages. All you would need to do is print out this document of screenshots, and then scan it with OnmiPage --- all would be saved as a PDF document or other options, and could fully editable as a MS Word Document.  Here is the Developer's Site: Kofax OmniPage Standard and Ultimate | Kofax

karlssongunvor Said:

"How can I scan a document so it I can edit the results: [...]Do you know of any simpler, maybe cheaper and uncomplicated way to accomplish the result?"

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A Few Thoughts:

A. Omni Page and Epson Scanner:

Not sure if you are up for purchasing a scanner, but, when I purchasing my Epson scanner, it came will Omni Page. So, maybe consider purchasing a scanner, for this and future use.

B. FedEx Office:

Go to a local FedEx Office, and have them scan this. Ask them to save it as an MS Word document.

C. LibreOffice:

Try downloading this software, seeing if it meets your goal: Download LibreOffice

D. OpenOffice:

Try downloading this software, seeing it it sees you needs: Download OpenOffice

In revisiting this, and your subsequent comments, it might make perfectly good sense to use a service bureau to use an ADF (automatic document feeder) to scan those 200 - 300 pages, and if the software driving that ADF can also produce an OCR'd PDF, or - an MS Word document, then you have saved the expense of your time, a new scanner, VueScan Professional, and a PDF Editor.

Open that OCR'd PDF in MS Word 16.31 (yours or borrowed) or later and Word will convert it to an MS Word .docx file. If the scanning operation above can generate a Word document for you, then edit that and save as PDF again.

Do a Google search for "FedEx office print and ship center" and see what it finds near your locale. That would be my recommendation as they have the tools to do what you need.

karlssongunvor Said:

"How can I scan a document so it I can edit the results"

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Text Yourself this Info, then Print from a Computer:

As a reference, see if anything I've mentioned in this other User Tip of mine works towards getting you what you need to accomplish here: How to Save or Print a Complete iPhone Messages Thread - Apple Support

I want to scan a form and then fill in that form. I can't do this with my MacBook but I can with my Windows computer. I have tried to scan the document and save it as a PDF. Then I purchased PDF Professional Suite. That software is almost useless.

I converted the form to Word. Word opened the form in compatibility mode and would not allow me to do anything but drag the form around my screen.

My Apple product is just not capable of being used as a typewriter. Any suggestions?

Thanks

I originally had Adobe reader. It worked perfectly, and then Apple released an update. Adobe would crash my Mac and I would need to reboot my laptop. I removed Adobe and my computer worked fine. I wrote Adobe about this problem and they never replied. Then I purchased PDF Professional Suite. Originally I was able to scan a document and then fill in that document. I can’t seem to get that feature to work. I have contacted them several times regarding this issue. They take 4-5 weeks to reply. My last contact with them was in late June. They wanted proof of purchase. I sent them a screen shot of my purchase with the amount and the date of purchase a They have yet to respond.

I needed to fill out some forms for a doctors appointment. I scanned them and sent them to my wife. She used her Windows laptop. That worked perfectly. I am at a loss on how to accomplish this simple task.

We need to see what all is running & machine specs, a report from this will not display any personal info...

EtreCheck is a FREE simple little diagnostic tool to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac. It will not display any personal info.

https://www.etrecheck.com/

Pastebin is a good place to paste the whole report if you capture the URL while there…

Workable but harder for me to work with...the Note tool on the bottom of this editor's toolbar, as shown in the image, to copy and paste the output from EtreCheck. In a Reply before you click post, look for this to add longer texts...