OCR & PDF Tools Troubleshooting¶
This page covers common issues and their solutions. If your problem is not listed here, contact [email protected].
OCR Accuracy Issues¶
Extracted text is garbled or incorrect¶
- Wrong language selected -- Verify the correct OCR language is chosen in the dropdown. This is the most common cause of poor results.
- Low image quality -- Use images at 300 DPI or higher. Low-resolution images produce poor OCR results.
- Image needs preprocessing -- Try Advanced OCR with deskew, binarization, and contrast enhancement.
- Wrong feature used -- If the PDF has embedded text, use PDF Text Extraction instead of OCR for better results.
OCR misses some text¶
- Check if the text area is too small. Zoom in or use the Image Deskew & Correction tools to crop and enlarge.
- Ensure the text is not overlapping with graphics or watermarks.
- For colored text on colored backgrounds, try binarization preprocessing.
OCR is very slow¶
- Large images (over 10,000 pixels on any dimension) take longer. Consider resizing or cropping before OCR.
- Using many languages simultaneously slows processing. Select only the languages present in the document.
- Close other resource-heavy applications to free up CPU and memory.
PDF Issues¶
Cannot open a PDF¶
- The file may be corrupted. Try opening it in another PDF reader to confirm.
- The PDF may be password-protected. Enter the password when prompted.
- Ensure the file extension is
.pdfand the file is a valid PDF document.
Merged PDF has wrong page order¶
- Before merging, verify the file order in the merge list. Drag files to rearrange them.
- Page numbers in the merged PDF follow the order of the source files.
Converted DOCX has formatting issues¶
- PDF to DOCX conversion preserves basic formatting. Complex layouts with columns, tables, and mixed content may not convert perfectly.
- Review and adjust the output in Microsoft Word or another word processor.
Installation Issues¶
Application fails to start¶
- Verify that .NET Desktop Runtime 6.0 or later is installed.
- Try running as administrator.
- Check Windows Event Viewer for error details.
Language packs fail to install¶
- Ensure you have write permissions to the installation directory.
- Check available disk space -- some language packs require up to 15 MB.
- Try running the application as administrator.
License Issues¶
License activation fails¶
- Check your internet connection (required for activation only).
- Verify the license key is correct with no extra spaces.
- Ensure you are using a key for OCR & PDF Tools, not another Kaizen Apps product.
Still Need Help?
Email [email protected] with:
- Your OCR & PDF Tools version (found in Help > About)
- A description of the problem
- A sample image or PDF (if the issue is related to OCR accuracy)
- Any error messages displayed