5 Best Handheld OCR Scanners For Accurate Document Capturing

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by Radu Tyrsina 

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Handheld OCR scanner
Printed text, such as books and old manuscripts, are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past. That is why whenever we want to put them in digital form, we use OCR technology to spare us the hassle of writing by hand. Handheld OCR scanners exist, and they can be used to teach you how to read a word, find the definition of a word, or they can even be used to learn a new language entirely. We’ve decided to compile a list of what we think are the best handheld OCR scanners. We took into consideration the OCR efficiency, price, and how user-friendly they are. Note: Deals are subject to change. Keep in mind that the price tag often varies. We recommend going on the vendor’s website to check the price. Some of the products may be out of stock by the time you’ve made your purchasing decision. So, hurry up and hit the buy button.

What are the best handheld OCR scanners that I can buy?

LeapFrog LeapReader

LeapFrog LeapReaderIf you’re looking for an OCR pen to teach your preschoolers how to read and write, then the LeapFrog LeapReader is just what you need.

It supports plenty of books and your children will learn how to adore reading, which will make storytelling time their favorite time of the day.

Pros:

  • The complete learn-to-read-and-write solution
  • Includes LeapReader reading and writing system
  • Touch pages or words to hear them read aloud
  • Foster listening and comprehension skills with downloadable audiobooks
  • activities help strengthen comprehension and school readiness skills.
  • Explore 150+ interactive books and writing activities

Cons:

  • Issues with some tag books

Check price

Scanmarker Air

Scanmarker AirIf you use the Scanmarker Air, all you need to do is just slide your handheld scanning pen across a line of printed text and watch it appear instantly on the screen.

You can also use the device as a text reader, and a scanner that will send the text into text-editing tools, such as Microsoft Word.

Pros:

  • Lets you create summaries faster than ever before
  • Super accurate and fast multilingual OCR text scanner
  • Can be used to scan text into Microsoft Word or our intuitive mobile apps
  • Edit, read aloud in real-time and translate on computers, smartphones, and tablets
  • Portable, lightweight and convenient
  • Powerful in-built battery rechargeable via USB

Cons:

  • Has troubles recognizing blurry fonts

Check price

C-Pen Reader

C-Pen ReaderThe C-Pen Reader is a complete all-around text reading and scanning tool that looks just like a regular pen.

Not only is it capable of reading text out loud, it can display the definition of the word thanks to the built-in dictionary, and it can also instantly upload it onto a PC or Mac.

Pros:

  • Totally portable, pocket-sized device
  • Reads the text out aloud with an English human-like digital voice
  • Can instantly display the definition of the word
  • Good at capturing lines of text and uploading to a PC or Mac into nearly any application.
  • Collins 10th Edition Dictionary onboard

Cons:

  • Issues with the text reading feature
  • The price tag

Check price

Scanmarker Digital Highlighter

Scanmarker Digital HighlighterMost OCR pens are made to recognize the English language, but not the Scanmarker Digital Highlighter, as it is capable of supporting several of the world’s most used languages.

Other than that, it offers the same features you’d expect in such devices, such as OCR, text upload to PC and Mac, and more.

Pros:

  • Create outlines and reports faster than ever before
  • Super accurate and fast multilingual OCR text scanner ideal for students and professionals
  • Can scan editable text directly into any computer application e.g. Microsoft Word
  • Edit, read aloud in real-time and translate on Mac & Windows computers
  • Portable, lightweight and easy to use
  • Affordable

Cons:

  • The text scanning is efficient, but it isn’t instant

Check price

IRISPen Air 7

IRISPen Air 7The IRISPen Air 7 is a handheld OCR scanner that can be used almost everywhere around the world since it can support over 130 different languages.

It is truly wireless thanks to its Bluetooth connection, and the compatibility with PC, MAC, IOS, and Android Devices makes it extremely versatile.

Pros:

  • Bluetooth connectivity making it wireless
  • Compatible with PC, MAC, IOS & Android Devices
  • Battery Rechargeable via USB
  • Text and number recognition
  • 130+ languages recognized

Cons:

  • Software isn’t very beginner-friendly

Check price

Closing thoughts on handheld OCR scanners

Learning to read and write is very difficult, especially in other languages. That is why technology provides us with a variety of devices meant to make the learning process a whole lot easier.

That’s precisely the reason why OCR scanners exist, and if you use them right, they will take your reading and writing skills and bring them to a whole new level.

More about the topics: OCR software

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina Shield

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.