Have you ever received a PDF that was essentially just a series of scanned images? You try to highlight the text to copy it into a translator, but nothing happens. Traditional translation tools rely on digital text layers, making scanned documents impossible for them to process.
This is where Optical Character Recognition (OCR) comes into play.
What is OCR and Why Do You Need It?
OCR technology acts as a pair of digital eyes. It scans an image, recognizes the shapes of letters and words, and converts them into selectable, editable text. When combined with a translation engine, it becomes a superpower.
How FrancoTranslate Handles Scanned PDFs
FrancoTranslate integrates state-of-the-art OCR capabilities directly into our translation pipeline. When you upload a scanned PDF:
- The system detects that the document lacks a digital text layer.
- The OCR engine kicks in, identifying the language and extracting the text precisely from the image.
- The AI translation engine translates the extracted text into your target language.
- Finally, the layout engine reconstructs the document, placing the translated text exactly where the original scanned text was located.
Translating Image Files (JPG/PNG)
This technology isn't just limited to PDFs. You can use our Image Translator to upload JPG, PNG, or WEBP files directly. Whether it's a screenshot, a photograph of a sign, or a scanned contract, FrancoTranslate processes it effortlessly.