problem with the language while converting a pdf file into a word file

[Salah5E60]

Hello, everyone!

I had a problem with the language while converting a pdf file into a Word file. When I convert an English pdf file into an Arabic Word file, the content looks like as if it is not recognized at all by Adobe and as if it is the "Honolulu" language. So how can I overcome this challenge?

Thank you

[try67]

It sounds like a font encoding issue, in which case there's probably not much you can do.

What happens if you select the text directly in the PDF file and then copy and paste it into Word? Does it come out as gibberish, too?

[Salah5E60]

Thank you for your reply. Yes when copying and pasting, it comes out as gibberish, too.

[Zaid Al Hilali]

I didn't understand what you mean by converting English PDF into an Arabic MS. Word document. Never the less, Acrobat doesn't convert Arabic content PDFs to MS. Word files properly, it will give you a low success rate depending on the font used and how and from where the PDF was created.

You're welcome to vote on this bug issue here so the Acrobat team would consider improving Arabic support in Adobe Acrobat.

[Salah5E60]

Thank you for your quick reply. You got me right. So maybe as you said: "Acrobat doesn't convert Arabic content PDFs to MS. Word files properly, it will give you a low success rate depending on the font used and how and from where the PDF was created"

I will vote on the bug you mentioned. 

I hope Adobe takes into consideration the Arabic support as well in their programs.

[Zaid Al Hilali · Accepted solution]

If you're using a Windows machine, and have Microsoft Office 2016 or newer, you may convert your Arabic PDF by launching MS. Word, then "Open" the PDF in Word as such MS. Office will do the conversion. We found this method gives you a higher success rate than letting Acrobat do the conversion.

If however, you're using a Mac, then the above trick will not work on MS. Office for Mac.

[ales_4013]

Hello, I think, I have the same problem. If I click in Adobe Express on "Start from your content" and then open a PDF (cca. 16MB) in Dutch language, then I get popup "We do not currently support converting content in this language." And on Youtube is a lot of videos with Dutch language. So what is the problem? I use Windows 11, but I do not want use the method with Word in Office365. Can you help me, how to open this scanned PDF in Dutch language in Adobe Express? Thanks for your help.

[alex_3915]

Здравствуйте!

думаю у вас ситуация похожая на мою.

я сделал следующим образом. Файл pdf который у меня был ещё раз преобразовал в pdf через печать и уже новый файл преобразовал в word. 

[ales_4013]

I'm using a different method now. I have quite large PDF files with text, tables, charts and images with descriptions. If the PDF file is in OCR format, I put it straight into the paid version of DeepL and it translates it for me and preserves the format and form of the PDF file.
If the PDF file is not in OCR, I convert it, or do a little manual text recognition in Abbyy FineReader PDF. Unfortunately, Adobe's program has worked less well for me on these edits.
If I want no longer to use the paid version of DeepL, I do the translation in Word (Microsoft365), but I don't open the OCR PDF file in Word. Word pretty much messes up the format and form of the PDF file. Therefore, I convert the PDF file to a .docx file in Abbyy first and then open and translate it in Word. This method does not mess up the text format and form for me. And I am surprised that Word translates technical texts into Czech better than DeepL. Yet DeepL is described on the Internet as the best for translating technical texts...