PDFs are no longer searchable in Acrobat Reader

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
January 12, 2018
2 replies
4999 views

Within the last week, we've encountered an issue at my organization where documents scanned to a network location are suddenly not able to be searched. The documents are being scanned in as an image, but when they are opened, they no longer convert to a searchable image. This is affecting documents that have just been scanned and documents that were scanned weeks ago or longer.

Currently, we have a mix of Acrobat Reader 11 and different versions of Acrobat Reader DC. They are set to not automatically update. We've tried changing multiple settings on the scanner, and have not had success. It is set to scan as text only, and to pdf version 1.7, but it still scans as an image. The pdfs can be opened in Acrobat or Acrobat Pro automatically ask to be converted to an editable picture when you try to add a text field or search.

Has anyone else run into a problem like this before?

This topic has been closed for replies.

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

Acrobat Reader can't create searchable PDF documents from scans.

G

gkaiseril

Inspiring

I would imagine that someone used either Acrobat or a stand alone OCR program to OCR the PDF to convert the scanned image to either a PDF of text content or an page image with hidden text. Both of these types of PDFs are searchable. Many OCR programs can create PDFs from the scanner's image..

FDC-MarshallAuthor

Participating Frequently

So someone will Acrobat or Acrobat Pro will have to go in an convert each .pdf to a searchable image to make it work again, or will Acrobat Reader users just never have the capability to search a .pdf that was scanned in as an image?

Just Shoot Me

Legend

I picture, image and a PDF document are 2 totally different things.

Scan them as PDF documents.

FDC-MarshallAuthor

Participating Frequently

The scanner has the option to scan files as .pdf, and to make them text or photo .pdfs. It is currently set as text, but still coming through as a photo. Prior to this week, users had the ability to search a .pdf that was scanned in, and it would ask if they wanted to convert to a searchable picture while using Acrobat Reader XI or Acrobat Reader DC.

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

FDC-Marshall wrote
The scanner has the option to scan files as .pdf, and to make them text or photo .pdfs. It is currently set as text, but still coming through as a photo. ...

Looks like a issue of the scanner software.

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