What Is A Hard Copy?

Date First Published: 31st January 2024

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Software

Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty: Easy

Difficulty Level: 3/10

CONTENTS

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Hard Copies
Uses Of Hard Copies

Learn about what a hard copy is in this article.

A hard copy is a physical copy of a document printed on paper. Unlike a soft copy, a hard copy is no longer editable and can be considered a permanent version. Hard copies can be turned into soft copies using optical character recognition (OCR) software with a scanner to convert a printed document into digital data.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Hard Copies

The advantages of hard copies are:

They provide a physical backup of a document that can be preserved even if digital files are accidentally deleted or overwritten. This makes having a hard copy as a backup a good idea in some cases.
They can be easily viewed by anyone since no digital devices are required.
Annotations and markup are easier to make on the document than soft copies.

The disadvantages of hard copies are:

They consume a lot of paper and ink, making them less environmentally friendly and more expensive.
Hard copies can take up a lot of physical space, which can become a problem with limited storage space.
They can be vulnerable to physical damage, like liquid spills. Liquid spills can cause hard copies to become weak and tear.
They are harder to share than soft copies as they need to be posted or physically handed to other people.
Unlike soft copies, hard copies are permanent and cannot be edited without reprinting the document.

Uses Of Hard Copies

Since more people are moving to digital and paperless copies, the usage of hard copies is declining and most people find it easier to have a soft copy of a document without having to print it out. However, hard copies are still used for distributing information for meetings and presentations so that anyone can quickly view it without the need for accessing digital devices. In certain industries, like healthcare or legal, hard copies are still required for compliance and record-keeping purposes. Hard copies are also used for receipts and proof of purchase.