The process by which a software program "reads" an unsearchable image file to generate searchable text.

OCR technology converts letters, numbers, and other characters from image files (such as scanned documents, TIFFs, and unreadable PDFs) into editable, searchable text. OCR technology is often employed in e-discovery to enable counsel to search the content of otherwise unreadable electronically stored information (ESI).

For information about handling e-discovery, see E-Discovery Toolkit and E-Discovery Project Management Checklist.