Is there a good PDF editor out there that can remove backgrounds and increase contrast?

I’m looking for a basic PDF editor that’s straightforward and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. I just need something that works without needing an account or a subscription.

I’ve got some old scanned documents with yellow or muddy backgrounds, and I want to remove those backgrounds to just keep the black text and images. Any recommendations?

I’d start by converting all the pages to images and then adjust the contrast and brightness.

If you’re up for it, Python has some PDF libraries you can use, and ChatGPT can help you write a simple script to check and tweak PDFs as you need.

Try using Google Docs. It can convert text with OCR, but I’m not sure about images or figures.

have you tried using AI for this?? Does it work?

PDF-XChange Editor Plus is a solid choice for $72 with a year of updates. It’s great for converting image-based PDFs into text-based ones and has a lot of features.

For free options, you might want to check out OnlyOffice Desktop Editors or look at some recommendations for open-source PDF viewers and editors. I haven’t tested these for your specific needs, but they’re worth exploring to find what works best for you.