Let me tell you about OCR tools I use to turn pictures of text into real text you can copy and edit. I’ve tried many different ones and want to share the best ones with you. OCR means Optical Character Recognition but let’s just call it text scanning to keep things simple.
Tesseract OCR
I started using Tesseract last year and wow – it really works well. Google made this tool and now lots of people help make it better. The best part is you can use it without internet.
I use it to scan old papers and it works great. You can make it work with over 100 languages and it even reads unusual handwriting sometimes.
One time I had to copy a really long document. Instead of typing everything again, I just took a picture and Tesseract turned it into text in a few seconds. Pretty cool, right?
EasyOCR
EasyOCR makes things super simple. I like it because you don’t need to be a computer expert to use it. Just a few simple steps and it starts working.
The tool works with many languages. I tried it with some Chinese text and it worked really well. It can even read text from signs in pictures.
The best thing about EasyOCR is how well it handles different text styles. I use it for reading menus and business cards too. It almost never gets confused by different fonts.
OCRmyPDF
This one is special because it works with PDF files. I use it when someone sends me a PDF I can’t copy text from. The tool makes the PDF searchable and you can copy text from it.
It keeps the PDF looking exactly the same but adds a layer of text you can use. It’s like having two things in one – the original look and useful text.
The latest version even fixes page rotation automatically. I remember when I had to fix each page myself. Now it’s much easier.
GOCR
GOCR is a simple tool but it works fast. Some people say it’s not as good as others but I think it’s perfect for simple tasks.
I use it when I need to scan something quickly and don’t need perfect results. It’s like a fast food place – maybe not the fanciest but gets the job done when you’re in a hurry.
The new version is much better at reading numbers. This makes it great for scanning receipts and invoices.
Calamari OCR
Calamari is new but really good. It uses special computer tricks to read text better. I tried it on some really old documents and it worked better than other tools.
The funny thing is it works best with really old text. It’s like having a friend who’s good at reading old handwriting.
I tested it with some old newspaper clippings and it read almost everything correctly. Even the faded parts came through clearly.
Kraken OCR
Kraken is like Calamari but with more options. It’s good for people working with really old books and documents.
I remember trying to read an old letter and other tools failed. Kraken got most of the words right. It was like having a time machine for reading old stuff.
The new update makes it even better at reading tables and columns. Now I use it for old financial records too.
OCRFeeder
OCRFeeder gives you a nice screen to work with. You can see the picture and text side by side. It’s good when you want to check if the computer read everything right.
I use it for important documents when I need to make sure everything is perfect. You can fix mistakes right away if you see them.
The latest version lets you export to more file types. This makes it easier to use the text in different programs.
Ocropy
Ocropy is a bit harder to use but it’s really good at reading messy text. It’s like having super eyes for reading bad handwriting.
The tool breaks down each letter to understand it better. I use it when other tools can’t read something well.
They just added better support for tables and columns. Now it can handle complex page layouts much better.
PaddleOCR
PaddleOCR is new and amazing. It works super fast and can read text even when it’s not straight. I use it for taking pictures of signs or documents with my phone.
One time I saw a sign in a different language. I took a picture and PaddleOCR told me what it said in seconds.
The latest version is even better at reading text in images. It can find text anywhere in the picture, even if it’s small or at weird angles.
Leptonica
Leptonica helps other OCR tools work better. It’s like a helper that makes pictures clearer before reading the text. Many other tools use it to work better.
I tried using it to make old black and white photos clearer before scanning text. It really helps when the picture isn’t very good.
The new version has better image cleaning features. It can remove spots and fix faded text automatically.
Extra sources to learn more:
1. Top Free OCR tools (Expert’s view on modern OCR tools)
2. What is OCR? (Wikipedia)