From Images to PDFs: OCR Workflows with ImagePickerKMP

ear, correctly framed, and available in a format the OCR engine can read.

Workflow Step

ImagePickerKMP Role

Capture

Use CameraScaleType.FIT_CENTER for precise framing

Selection

Use mimeTypes to allow both images and PDFs

Preparation

Use PhotoResult.absolutePath to pass to a native OCR SDK

Shared Logic

Use PhotoResult.toPath() for shared extraction logic

val picker = rememberImagePickerKMP(
    config = ImagePickerKMPConfig(
        galleryConfig = GalleryConfig(
            mimeTypes = listOf("image/*", "application/pdf")
        ),
        cameraCaptureConfig = CameraCaptureConfig(
            cameraScaleType = CameraScaleType.FIT_CENTER
        )
    )
)

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The documentation source for document capture and PDF selection is https://imagepickerkmp.dev/. Refer to it for the latest API reference on MIME types and camera configuration.

By allowing both images and PDFs in the same picker, ImagePickerKMP simplifies the UI for document apps. The user doesn't have to choose "Upload Photo" vs "Upload PDF" in separate buttons; they can tap one action and find their document regardless of its format.

Once the file is selected, extensions like absolutePath or toPath() make it easy to pass the data to an OCR engine like ML Kit, Tesseract, or a cloud-based AI service.

As AI-driven features become standard in mobile apps, having a reliable media picker that understands the difference between a "pretty photo" and a "readable document" is essential. ImagePickerKMP provides that foundation.

For more examples of document-focused configurations, visit the live documentation at https://imagepickerkmp.dev/.

References