Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' note: The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual 11MB download.
CNET Editors' review
No matter how big of a scanned or PDF file you have, this program can handle it. Free OCR will read an otherwise uneditable document and churn out copyable text you can manipulate however you like.
With support for more than 10 different languages, this software impresses with both its accuracy and speed. It churns out an editable version of a small section of text in seconds, but only takes a minute or two to read documents with tiny text or bizarre formatting. You can even crop out sections of the document you don't need to shave seconds off of the OCR's output. It doesn't offer many features outside of character recognition, but it doesn't really need to. The PDF support is great and you can scan documents right into the FreeOCR with ease. Its spacious layout gives you enough room to find and copy just the text you want if you only need a section of the document. The only downside of this program is that not many people will need it, as OCR software usually comes standard with most modern printers.
For anyone still wrestling with an old freebie printer they got when they bought their computer or their office, FreeOCR is a lifesaver. It's a light, friendly program that delivers one of the most accurate and efficient OCR readouts you can find.
Publisher's Description
From Softi Software:
FreeOCR is a free Optical Character Recognition Software for Windows and supports scanning from most Twain scanners and can also open most scanned PDF's and multi page Tiff images as well as popular image file formats. FreeOCR outputs plain text and can export directly to Microsoft Word format. Free OCR uses the latest Tesseract (v3.01) OCR engine. It includes a Windows installer and It is very simple to use and supports opening multi-page tiff documents, Adobe PDF and fax documents as well as most image types including compressed Tiff's which the Tesseract engine on its own cannot read .It now can scan using Twain and WIA scanning drivers.
What's new in this version: Version 4.2 adds: Multi page Twain Scanning, OCR whole document in one go, Uses Tesseract V3 for higher accuracy, Windows 8 compatible, Automatic updater, Text post processing.
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All versions:
3.0 starsout of 182 votes
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Current version:
2.2 starsout of 28 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"MALWARE!!!"
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
malware, do not install
Cons
malware, do not install
Summary
I monitored it during installation. It writes and modifies your registry where it shouldn't, sets itself to run software during startup, etc.
I stopped the installation when it tried to change my DNS settings - this would have routed my network directly through their servers. They could then steal password and credit card data, etc.
Both Norton AV and Malwarebytes failed to detect the malware, but my firewall/sandbox was going crazy. -
"Full of junk"
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
Absolutely none
Cons
A bunch of junk that installs itself in your browser; if you try to remove it via Chrome, Chrome won't work. If you uninstall it, Free OCR won't work.
Summary
Even if you choose to not install the toolbar and the rest of the offered "features" (under the "advanced user" option), it does so anyway. Do not download this.
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"Beware - comes with lots of junk..."
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
None none none
Cons
Junk! Comes with cr*p
Summary
Didn't even finish installing it all - got passed the CNET (? I think!) add a toolbar etc , started installing to realise it was installing junk -cancelled install but still ended up with 3+ new programs on my computer ...none of which I wanted ...and all of which were a pain to uninstall...(x-program is still running would you like to abort uninstall etc)
Seem like it might not be FreeeOCR but CNET that supplied the junk ...
Ran malwarebytes and all seems fine but really NOT HAPPY
Always trusted CNET now really disappointed..
Updated on Apr 30, 2013
Same junk appeared when I downloaded Supergeek free OCR from CNET too...
Time to look for another download site I think! -
"Not perfect but close enough to it."
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
Easy to use
Cons
Still makes some mistakes on certain font types.
Summary
This is nonetheless a great little program.
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"Installs malware"
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
It did recognize a clearimage of a page before it stopped working on my Windows 7 64-bit.
Cons
I downloaded it from what looked like a site producing free software. It infected my computers with malware that wants to get me to fantastigames.com, a site of ads and possibly more malware. Quite possibly the malware does other damage too. Windows Explorer 10 crashes so much, often before it even gets going, that it has become unusable. Windows Defender scan found and removed something related to fantasigames. I uninstalled and reinstalled Chrome but it still opens a fantatigames page, alongside my home page, each time it starts.
Summary
AVOID!
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"install carefully to avoid extra software"
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
On first use the program does what it says and very nicely.
Cons
cannot get around the install of "additional" software unless you use the direct link under the green button or go to another download site. I suggest http://www.paperfile.net/ but read my summary below before installing to see how to avoid the "additional" software.
Summary
After reading other reviews here (mentioning not able to opt out of extra software & malware) I looked elsewhere. I used another download site for FreeOCR (http://www.paperfile.net/). That installer also wanted me to included added software!
That installer had checkboxes for a toolbar and search engines that were grayed out, but they were still clickable to opt out! There was also two buttons: "decline" and "accept" with the decline button grayed out. It looked like I had no choice but to accept the additional software! I clicked accept to continue. The next screen was another optional software item but again with the decline grayed out and no check boxes! At this point I realized I should try the grayed out decline expecting that it would abort the install. But if I couldn't opt out, I did not want the install anyway. Because I had already clicked "accept" on the previous install I cancelled the install and started again.
This time I clicked the grayed out "decline" button both times and then got to a normal looking install screen. I continued with the install and it appears that I installed what I wanted (FreeOCR) without the optional "additional" software!
So it looks like the trick is to click the unclickable looking "Decline" button to opt out of the extra stuff.
You could also try using the "Direct Download Link" just below the green download button, as it looks like you get the same installer I got elsewhere. I just tried the green download button above and it looks like you do not even get a choice to opt out!!! -
"Full of ads and installs games w/o permission"
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
Not applicable to this product.
Cons
Heaps of limitations and installs games despite declining their offers.
Summary
Find a genuinely free online OCR
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"Once installed my Brother software didn't recognize it."
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
freeeeeeeeeeee
Cons
Didn't work
Summary
not worth it
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"MALWARE - Avoid!"
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
None. Aborted the installation.
Cons
Insisted on installing Babylon as default search engine and home page. I consented and then my security warnings windows started cascading.
Summary
I ended up hard powering down to abort the install. I intended to do a system restore, but ALL my restore points were gone!!! Coincidence? Hopefully my system isn't permanently damaged.
I've never done a review before, but this experience was too bad to go undocumented.
Do yourself a favor and don't install! -
"cnet and download.com installer is full of malware"
Version: FreeOCR 4.2
Pros
malware, malware, malware
Cons
malware, malware, malware
Summary
CNET why the f$$$$ do you install Malware on my notebook though your installer program even after I specifically selected not to install any extra Add-on or app?
CNET is intentionally install malware on end user PCs without their approval at all
download.cnet.com app installer really sucks..
You guys are looking at a class action lawsuit pretty soon
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