How to turn off Automatic OCR in PDF Edit 2023

[danbergerink]

Hello,

This topic has arisen before, but the solutions I found aren't working for me with the current version of Acrobat Pro.

I assemble graphic novels - the latest one I'm working on has a problem with OCR as the cover page is being tilted when I don't want it to be (image 1 - red outlines indicate where the image has been tilted, creating a white edges that should not be there)

I went into the "Scan & OCR/Enhance scanned file" setting and unchecked "Recognize Text" - but the page is still being tilted. (image 2)

I saw advice that I can turn off "Recognize Text" via the right side panel using the "Scanned Documents" tab - but I don't have a "Scanned Documents" tab (image 3)

Final image is the version I'm using for reference.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Serene_nature15C3 · Accepted solution]

Hi @danbergerink 

Hope you are doing well and thanks for reaching out.

The OCR process is turned on by default. When you open a scanned document for editing, the current page is converted to editable text. As you scroll, the page in focus becomes editable. You can disable the automatic OCR option if you don't want to convert your scanned documents to editable text.

1. Choose Edit > Text.

2. To turn off automatic OCR, deselect the Recognize text option in the right pane. Acrobat won't automatically run OCR the next time you open the document for editing.

   For more information, please go through the help page https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/edit-scanned-pdfs.html?screen=modern#

   Regards

   Amal

[Rhied]

To turn off Auto OCR, Click to the 'Edit' Pane, then click the 'Edit settings' button, then uncheck 'Recognize scanned text'

[Chad Kirk Nielson]

What he is trying to say is the same problem I am having, the original suggestion does not work. When you go to edit > text the "recognize scanned text" is greyed out. I cannot stop Adobe from trying to OCR everything every time I open it and it's driving me nuts. 

[starquack]

Thank you! This worked for me.

[Jind?ich]

It's very well hidden. Good job, Adobe!

[AJRALT]

this is [moderator deleted inappropriate words]!!  click on anything in edit  with this function on   and it juyst freeezes. i cant get to a point to turn the option off!!!!!!  WHY CANT THE DEFAULT BE OFF!!!!!!!!!!!   

[Abambo]

What is your OS and version and what is your Acrobat version?

[AJRALT]

AND  IF IT FINALLY STOPPS TRYING TO FIUND TEXT TE OIPTION IS GREY OUT AND I CANT CHANGE IT ANYWAY!!!!!!

[Abambo]

Please don't shout and check your writing before submitting. Your text is difficult to read.

[AJRALT]

Sorry,  Really frustrated. 

windows 11, Acrbat Pro 23 , eventually got it to turn off.  but every time i tried as soon as i clicked edit it would automatically  start recognising text. i eventually loaded an image with no text and it worked.  does not help when adobe products are so slow. 

[Graham34396962ynmx]

Hi, that page has no information on how to stop this feature automatically recognising text. I want to turn this feature off but it is unclear on how to do it. How can I do it please?

[OoBlAd3oO]

THIS IS THE WORST "INNOVATION" YOU'VE EVER DONE SO FAR. IT'S REALLY, REALLY, ANNOYING!!! YOUR SOFTWARE JUST KEEPS ROTATING MY GRAPHIC DOCUMENTS, WHICH DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TEXT AT ALL. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DISABLE, A) IT'S GRAYED OUT, WITH NO OPTION TO DISABLE. OR B)WHEN YOU ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO DISABLE, YOU REOPEN ANOTHER DOCUMENT, AND IT DOES IT AGAIN!!! REALLY, REALLY MAD AND ANNOYED, ALL THIS LAST MONTHS..!!!!! :S

[Serene_nature15C3]

Hi there

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that

Is this an issue with a particular PDF file or with all the PDFs? Please try with a different PDF file and check. If the file is stored on a shared network/drive please download it to your computer locally and then try again.

What is the version of the Acrobat DC you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the recent version 23.08.20470 installed. Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer once.

Also try to repair the installation from the help menu (Win Only) and see if that works.

Please try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau... and see if that helps.

~Amal

[GREGORY2937463695sr]

Hey, Amal, I'm not the OP, but it very much is every PDF file I try to use. I work for a company that uses JPEGs for presentations, and we do not need the OCR function. I need to just turn it off altogether.

[Jind?ich]

Please remove this "super duper cool" feature. It's absolutely useless. I hate it.

[Abambo]

@OoBlAd3oO,

Just a little tip: all caps is very difficult to read. You should avoid that. 

[aikembisd]

Amal, please unmark this as the correct answer. As many of us have already illustrated, it is incorrect.
Your answers are polluting google search results of many many frustrated users asking how to fix this.

Thank you.

[Serene_nature15C3]

Hi there

This was marked as correct back in 2023.

I have also tried to reproduce the issue at my end and I am able to turn on/off the automatic OCR using the steps:

1. Open any scanned PDF
2. Go to Edit > click on the gear icon in the upper corner
3. Check/Uncheck the option to 'Recognize the Scanned text'

Regards

Amal

[Graham34396962ynmx]

Thank you but this option is disabled on my version and can't be unticked. I'm still facing this really annoying problem, I never had this in CS3.

[Abambo]

Thank you but this option is disabled on my version and can't be unticked. I'm still facing this really annoying problem, I never had this in CS3.

By @Graham34396962ynmx

What is your Acrobat version?

[Abambo]

I have the automatic OCR turned off also. And that works fine for me.

[OoBlAd3oO]

Still NOT Working......................

[Dwayne23403060scc6]

Windows 10 Registry Key to Enable/Disable:

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\PaperCapturePlugin\

[DWORD] bEnableTextEditingScannedDocument

Disabled: 0x00000000

Enabled: 0x00000001 

[Anaghir · Accepted solution]

Dwayne23403060scc6's answer is the only one answering the question of how to turn off by default this terrible automatic option. Don't forget to first close acrobat then change the setting in the registry (launch regedit then navigate to the key indicated, then change the value). Thank you !