How to turn OFF automatic OCR in Adobe Acrobat Pro 2023.006.20320 (September 2023)

[Scott-numberstring]

I've extensively searched the knowledge base for this answer, but everything I've found pertains to old versions of the software.

How do you turn off automatic OCR in Adobe Acrobat Pro 2023.006.20320 so that it STAYS OFF? I don't want to keep opening a pdf and have the OCR run every time and have to manually turn it off every time.

I don't want OCR on AT ALL. If I want to run an OCR, I will manually start the operation myself.

[Amal.]

Hi @Scott-numberstring 

Hope you are doing well and thanks for reaching out.

The OCR is turned on by default. Therefore, when you open a scanned document for editing, the current page is converted to editable text. Depending on whether you want to convert your scanned documents to editable text or not, you can turn off/on the automatic OCR option.

To turn off/on automatic OCR:

1. Choose Tools > Edit PDF.

To turn off automatic OCR, do the following:
2. In the right pane, clear the Recognize text checkbox. From next time, Acrobat won't automatically run OCR.

For more information, please go through the help page How to edit scanned PDFs, turn off automatic OCR, Adobe Acrobat

Let us know if you are experiencing any trouble and need more help.

Regards

Amal

[Scott-numberstring]

Hi Amal.

Also hope you are doing well and thanks for reaching out.

Please re-read my submission. My query is about the latest version of Adobe Acrobat. Your response pertains to an old version of the software and does not apply.

Respectfully,

Scott

[Amal.]

Hi Scott,

We are sorry for the confusion. Please go through the help page How to edit scanned PDFs, turn off automatic OCR, Adobe Acrobat for the new Acrobat experience and check the steps provided under, 'How to disable OCR'

~Amal

[e.olson]

This only appears to be available for and turn off OCR for scanned documents, not for all documents.  Normal PDF documents also go through this OCR process when Edit a PDF is selected which usually causes issues with the formatting in a lot of cases.  There needs to be a way to fully disable OCR as the process takes up unneeded time, computer resources, and is quite frankly atrocious if all I need to do is markup a document or add a text field to a blank space.

[Amal.]

Hi there

The option to turn off the OCR entirely is not yet available.You may share your feedback/suggestion with the engineering team using the link (https://www.adobe.com/products/wishform.html)

~Amal

[IntSol]

I agree 100%.

[IntSol]

I agree 100%

[Lovelle267528063hgq]

how do I undo the OCR? 

it ruined my text image quality and extremely annoying to deal with although it was turned off, it keep on turning back on by its' own. 

[Amal.]

Hi there

You may check out the correct answer marked in the similar discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-remove-ocr-from-acrobat-dc/m-p/9575466#M83... an see if that works for you.

~Amal

[P388820291xwu]

Hello. Thank you for your answer. Please hurry to create a patch that TURNS OFF OCR BY DEFAULT.

Thank you.

[P388820291xwu]

Hello,

Please understand that your latest reply is most unhelpful. Sending us to the help page bespeaks complete indifference of the end user experience. 

To disable auto OCR, one needs to disable new acrobat. Hopefully the Acrobat software team can turn off the OCR by default with a quick patch that we can run and install. Otherwise, I have disabled new acrobat. One user below has answerd our question.
Please HEAR US. THE AUTO OCR IS INFURIATING. TURN. IT. OFF.

thank you.

[JR Boulay]

"How do you turn off automatic OCR in Adobe Acrobat Pro 2023.006.20320 so that it STAYS OFF? I don't want to keep opening a pdf and have the OCR run every time and have to manually turn it off every time.

I don't want OCR on AT ALL. If I want to run an OCR, I will manually start the operation myself."

It works fine for me, I cannot reproduce this issue.

Be sure to use the "old UI".

[wkathym]

Acrobat Pro 2024.004.20272 -- I have spent a long time trying to figure this out--how to disable OCR when going into the Edit menu. I have a very large map, 24MB, and It's way too big (33x46 inches). I'd like to change the page size, which I hope will also down-res it. Everytime I go into Edit, the file hangs while it's trying to OCR all the text. This is a very large, dense map with loads of objects. I want to turn this feature OFF. 

[Fine Art P]

The auto OCR/rotate is frustrating. It is turning images a few degrees after I import them. Sometimes undo does not work and I have to re-import the images, only to Acrobat rotate them again. Turning the feature "off" seems to have no effect on this.

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @Fine Art P @wkathym , 

Sorry for the delayed response and for the troubled experience. 
When you hit Edit, on the left-hand panel you will see the Edit options, click on the gear icon, uncheck > "Recognize scanned text" 


Let us know how it works and if you have any further questions.

~Tariq

[Stoolmaker]

Mine is grayed out. Any thoughts on this?

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Stoolmaker,

Sorry about the delay in response.

The option is greyed out if the PDF is not a scanned file where text recognition is required. Please try opening a scanned PDF to see if the option gets enabled. For more information, please refer to the following help document: https://adobe.ly/43BLTI6. 

Feel free to let us know if you need help or have any questions.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

[IntSol]

Why should everyone here have to fill out a form to get this stupid automatic function removed.
It should not be automaitcally enabled.
I shouldn't have to go into a document and then shut to "option" off once the OCR automatically starts.
The option should be for me to turn the option on should I see fit.
Stop wasting your customers time.
Get rid of this stupid feature.

Tell this to your developers.