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Optical Character Recognition, or OCR, is a technology that enables computers to read printed or handwritten text from images, photos, or scanned documents and convert it into editable, searchable digital data. Using advanced pattern recognition and machine learning, OCR analyzes the shapes of letters, numbers, and symbols, compares them to known character sets, and reconstructs the text with high accuracy. Modern OCR systems can handle a wide variety of fonts, languages, and layouts, and some can even adapt to unusual handwriting styles.
OCR is widely used for digitizing books and archives, automating data entry from forms, extracting text from photographs, and enabling accessibility tools such as screen readers. While accuracy can still be affected by poor lighting, low image resolution, or highly decorative fonts, today’s OCR software is far more sophisticated than early versions, often integrating AI to improve results over time. This makes it an essential tool for turning static text in images into usable, searchable information.
