Editable text starts with image quality
OCR depends on clear letters. Use a high-resolution scan or photo, keep the page flat, avoid shadows, and crop out extra background. Straight, high-contrast text converts better than angled or blurry text.
Choose the right image converter
Use JPG to Word or PNG to Word for common scans and screenshots. Use HEIF to Word for mobile photos from modern devices. Use TIFF to Word when the source is a high-detail scan.
Review the Word output
OCR can misread similar characters, punctuation, tables, columns, handwriting, and small print. Review names, totals, dates, addresses, and legal or academic text before relying on the document.
When PDF may be better
If you only need to submit or archive the scan, PDF may be more stable. Use Word when you need to edit, quote, annotate, or combine the scanned content with new writing.