Skip to main content
Mike_zZ1
Known Participant
August 24, 2026
Question

Deskewing does not work unless you us OCR

  • August 24, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 20 views

I use Acrobat Pro X but from searching DC has the same issue. I need to deskew without using the OCR (Recognize text) feature because that adds too much file size and I have not found a way to remove OCR text from a file afterwards.

If I create an action using the Optimize PDF and make sure the filter options have Deskew ON and everything else off, then check that OCR options remain unchecked it never successfully deskews. It has the box that says it is optimizing but does not deskew. The separate Recognize Text from the tools pane always works fairly well but I’m not looking to run that unless someone has a way to remove the OCR layer in the pdf.

Thanks.

I just tried the google crappy AI suggestion to use Protection, Remove Hidden information and it appears to have removed the OCR text but not the test file size went from 709 kb to 2,575.This particular file is a 19pg 300 dpi 1 bit black & white scan.

    1 reply

    Meenakshi0101
    Community Manager
    Meenakshi0101Community Manager
    Community Manager
    August 24, 2026

    ​

     Hi Mike_zZ1,

    Thank you for reaching out and for describing the behaviour in detail.

    What you're seeing is expected behaviour in older versions of Acrobat, and may also occur in some newer workflows. The Deskew filter is primarily designed to work as part of Acrobat's scanned document processing pipeline, which is closely tied to OCR and scan enhancement functions. As a result, running an Optimize PDF action with only the Deskew filter enabled may not always trigger the page analysis required to detect and correct skew, while Recognize Text (OCR) typically performs that analysis and therefore successfully straightens the page.

    In Acrobat, please try the following steps:

    • Go to All Tools > Scan & OCR > Enhance Scanned Document

    • In the pop-up window, click on the gear icon.

    • In the Enhanced scanned PDF window, ensure that the filter for Deskew is enabled. Disable the filters that you do not need.

    • Unmark the option to recognize text.


    • Click on the OK button to save changes.

    • Now click on the Enhance button 

    See if that helps. 

    If you are using the OCR tool, Acrobat does not provide the "remove OCR text layer" option after OCR has been applied. However, you may flatten the document after you are done with the deskew by printing to Adobe PDF. Just to inform you, this may affect the quality, bookmarks, tags, links, and other PDF features, so it should be tested carefully before use.

    Hope the information helps.

    Thanks,

    Meenakshi

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices