Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology eliminates hours of manual data entry by converting printed text into editable digital formats—a godsend for educators drowning in paperwork day after day.
However, not all fonts work well with this tech. While OCR software has evolved enough to distinguish text regardless of fancy strokes or decorative elements (even handwriting!), clean, simple typefaces still work best if you’re aiming for minimal errors.
That’s why if you want to digitize an entire class’s worth of essays or process a whole school’s worth of forms, finding the optimal fonts for OCR recognition is a must. In this article, we’ll walk you through the five best OCR fonts to make your documents more scanner-friendly. Let’s get started!
What Is the Ideal Font for OCR?
The ideal font for optical character recognition is a clean, simple style, like Arial or Times New Roman. The OCR engine analyzes character shapes and matches them to digital equivalents, so it works best when fonts have:
- Clear, distinct shapes; as in no ambiguity between similar characters like “0” (zero) and “O” (letter O), “1” (one) and “l” (lowercase L)
- Consistent spacing between letters and words
- Little to no decorative elements, unusual shapes, or excessive styling that could confuse the software
- Bold, visible lines (characters should maintain their shape clearly when scanned, not too thin or faint)
Image Source: Shutterstock
5 Best Fonts for OCR Recognition
Behind every successful OCR scan is a font that knows how to speak “machine” fluently. These are the optimal fonts for OCR recognition that won’t leave your scanner (and your teachers) confused:
1. OCR-A & OCR-B
If we’re talking optimal fonts for OCR recognition, nothing beats fonts literally built for the job. OCR-A (which you probably recognize as the typewriter-looking font in checks and forms) and its slightly more refined sibling, OCR-B, were engineered to be perfectly understood by scanners.
That said, OCR-A is more machine-friendly, as it can be exhausting for human eyes to read at length. OCR-B performs much better in this regard, but reading it can still get tiresome than other fonts. So, we only recommend this font when using OCR for government, financial, or legal paperwork where accuracy is non-negotiable.
2. Arial
While modern OCR engines are good enough to handle all sorts of fancy typefaces, standard fonts like Arial are still the go-to for most educators and business owners. As a sans-serif font, it has a clean, no-frills design that ensures near-perfect optical character recognition every time. Plus, it has a consistent stroke width and generous spacing that prevents letters from blending into each other.
Another plus for Arial is that it comes pre-installed on virtually every computer, so it’s ideal for everyday documents like worksheets, handouts, and general classroom materials. No need to hunt down special fonts or worry about printer compatibility issues!
3. Times New Roman
While technically a serif (fonts with classic little “feet” on each letter), Times New Roman has just enough refinement to remain perfectly machine-readable without losing its academic charm. It’s been an OCR favourite since the dawn of document scanning, likely because of its strong readability in printed materials. This font works best for academic papers, longer documents, and traditional educational materials.
Pro Tip: While Times New Roman is versatile, smaller font sizes (anything below 10pt) can be tricky for OCR. Stick to 11pt or 12pt to avoid scanning problems!
Image Source: Shutterstock
4. Calibri
Calibri was Microsoft’s default font from 2007 until it was replaced by Aptos in 2024. Despite the demotion, it maintains its status as one of the best fonts for OCR recognition, especially for academic and general office settings.
Its biggest strength lies in its gentle curves. The slight rounding at character terminals prevents the “breaking” effect that sometimes occurs during scanning. Plus, it maintains excellent legibility even at smaller font sizes (11pt Calibri scans better than 12pt of many traditional fonts!).
If you use OCR for worksheets, handouts, correspondence, printed materials, and digital displays, Calibri is a smart, reliable choice. It looks crisp whether printed, scanned, or viewed, so it will give you the best print→scan→digital process possible.
5. Verdana
Another option that gets top marks as one of the best fonts for OCR recognition is Verdana. This sans serif font was specially designed for the computer screen, so it’s no surprise it brings its A-game to document scanning too.
Verdana features wide letter spacing and crisp, open shapes, which makes it one of the optimal fonts for OCR recognition, especially when scanning at lower resolutions or under less-than-ideal lighting conditions. It works great for documents that will be both printed and viewed digitally, like online learning materials, presentations, and handouts.
The Fastest Way to Digitize Your Documents
Finding optimal fonts for OCR recognition is only the first step in optimizing data entry tasks. True efficiency comes from pairing them with the right document management system.
At Busys.ca, we don’t just sell printers and scanners—we design end-to-end document workflows that save you time, reduce errors, and eliminate manual busywork. Our Document Management Solutions combine AI-powered OCR paired with secure digital filing and indexing systems to make document handling fast, accurate, and stress-free.
We’ll support you every step of the way, from finding the best OCR technology for your needs to setting up and installing your software and hardware. We’ll even help train your team to use your new setup with confidence so you can hit the ground running!
Want to digitize smarter, not harder? Contact us today to find OCR solutions that work for you!
