Getting Started with IronOCR on Windows

Name: IronOCR
Brand: Iron Software
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.86 (101 reviews)

Updated:August 26, 2025

IronOCR is a powerful .NET OCR library designed to extract text from scanned documents, images, PDFs, and more. It supports multiple languages and integrates seamlessly into Windows-based development environments using .NET Framework or .NET 6, 7, and 8.

This guide will walk you through setting up IronOCR on Windows and understanding which configurations work best.

Windows Compatibility

IronOCR supports the following Windows versions:

Windows 11 & Windows 10
Windows Server 2022 & 2019 – Desktop Experience
Windows Server 2016 – Desktop Experience
Windows Server Core – Limited support

Please noteIronOCR uses System.Drawing and related graphics components under the hood, which are not available in stripped-down Core or Nano environments. For best results, use Desktop Experience editions of Windows Server.

Windows-Specific Installation

NuGet Installation (Recommended)

The easiest and most reliable way to install IronOCR on Windows is via the NuGet Package Manager:

Install-Package IronOcr

This package includes:

Core OCR engine
Windows dependencies
Language pack support

You can also install additional language packs such as Arabic, Chinese, or German by referencing:

PM > Install-Package IronOcr.Languages.Arabic
PM > Install-Package IronOcr.Languages.German

PM > Install-Package IronOcr.Languages.Arabic
PM > Install-Package IronOcr.Languages.German

SHELL

DLL Download

For offline or manual installations, you can download the compiled DLLs directly:

IronOCR.zip

Add them to your project by:

Extracting the .zip
Opening your project in Visual Studio
Right-clicking Dependencies > Add Reference > Browse
Selecting all DLL files in the folder

Windows Installer

IronOCR also provides a Windows Installer for developers who prefer to install libraries manually via setup files. This is especially useful for offline environments or enterprise deployment.

Download IronOCR Installer (IronOcrInstaller.zip)

To use the installer:

Launch the Installer
Extract the ZIP file and run the executable inside. The installer will open with a license agreement screen.
Read through the license agreement, then check the box to accept the terms and proceed by clicking Install.
Review Installation Info. After reviewing, click Next to continue.
After setup completes, click Finish to finalize the installation.

The installer includes all required DLLs for the OCR engine and language support, making it easy to integrate into any Windows project without NuGet.

Kye Stuart

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Technical Writer

Kye Stuart merges coding passion and writing skill at Iron Software. Educated at Yoobee College in software deployment, they now transform complex tech concepts into clear educational content. Kye values lifelong learning and embraces new tech challenges.

Outside work, they enjoy PC gaming, streaming on Twitch, and ...Read More