Preprocessing Scanned Documents for Maximum OCR Accuracy
Scanned document digitization requires preprocessing to correct common scanner artifacts. Flatbed scanners introduce 3 types of image defects: skew (rotation of 0.5-3 degrees), noise (dust particles appearing as dots), and uneven lighting (darker edges from raised book spines).
Convert JPG to Word applies automatic deskewing using Hough transform line detection. The system identifies horizontal text baselines, calculates the average rotation angle, and counter-rotates the image. This correction step recovers 5-10% accuracy on skewed scans.
Scanner DPI Settings for Different Document Types
There are 4 recommended DPI settings for different document types:
- 300 DPI: Standard printed documents, letters, and forms with 10-12pt text. Produces files of 2-4 MB per page as JPG.
- 400 DPI: Documents with small footnotes, legal contracts with 8pt text, or dense spreadsheet printouts.
- 600 DPI: Engineering drawings, architectural blueprints, or documents with fine print below 6pt size.
- 150 DPI: Quick drafts or large-text documents (14pt+). Produces files under 1 MB per page.
Mobile Phone Scans vs Flatbed Scanner Scans
Mobile phone camera scans introduce perspective distortion that flatbed scanners do not. A phone held at a 15-degree angle produces trapezoidal distortion across the page. Convert JPG to Word applies perspective correction using corner detection to straighten the document before OCR. Flatbed scans produce geometrically accurate output but are limited by the scanner bed size (typically A4 or US Letter).