DOCUMENT GUIDE · REVIEWED AUGUST 25, 2026 · SAKSHI KUMARI
Scan documents, use OCR and reduce PDF size
Capture a useful scan
Place the paper flat in even light, keep the camera parallel to the page and include all four edges. Avoid flash glare, shadows from your hands and patterned backgrounds. Check every page at full size before deleting the original photo. For multi-page documents, keep pages in order and use one consistent orientation.
Resolution, colour and file size
More pixels are not always better. Choose enough detail for small text and stamps to remain readable, then test the finished PDF at normal zoom. Colour scans can be important for highlighted marks or seals; grayscale often reduces the size of ordinary text documents. Repeatedly converting a scan to JPEG and back to PDF can create visible artefacts. If an upload has a limit, reduce excess margins or image dimensions first, then check legibility again.
OCR is a draft, not a transcription guarantee
OCR is strongest with sharp, high-contrast printed text. It commonly confuses 0/O, 1/I/l, dates, names and addresses. Tables, multi-column layouts, mixed languages, handwriting, low-quality scans and skewed photos need extra checking. Compare important values against the image before copying text into a form or record.