PDF Tools
Image to Text
Extract text from a photo or screenshot using OCR in your browser.
or drop an image here
Images are processed locally in your browser and never uploaded.
About Image to Text
Image to Text extracts text from a photo or screenshot using OCR — optical character recognition — in your browser. Upload an image containing printed text and the tool reads the words and gives them back as text you can copy or download. It is made for turning a photo of a document, a screenshot of a message, or a picture of a sign into text you can edit, search and quote.
Text trapped in an image cannot be searched, copied or translated. OCR changes that: a photographed page becomes editable words, a screenshot becomes quotable text, and a sign becomes something you can paste into a translator. Accuracy depends on the image — clear, straight, high-resolution printed text works best.
How to use Image to Text
- Choose an image with “Select image”.
- Check the image preview, then press “Extract Text”.
- Wait for recognition to finish — the first use needs an internet connection to load the recognition engine.
- Copy the extracted text, or download it as a .txt file.
Why use Image to Text
A picture of words, turned back into words you can use.
- Printed text recognised — documents, screenshots and signs.
- Copy or download — take the text into any editor.
- Private — recognition runs in your browser after the engine loads; your image is not sent to a conversion server.
Your files and privacy
Recognition runs in your browser. The recognition engine needs internet on first use to load, after which your image itself is processed locally and is not uploaded to a conversion server.
Honest limits
OCR needs internet on first use to load its recognition engine. Accuracy depends on image quality; blurry photos and handwriting are less accurate.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is OCR?
Accuracy depends on image quality. Clear, high-resolution printed text works best; blurry photos and handwriting are less accurate.
Can OCR read a photo taken at an angle?
Angled or skewed photos are harder to read and produce more errors. For the best result, photograph the page straight on, in good light, with the text filling the frame, and proofread the extracted text afterwards.
Can it read handwriting?
Handwriting is much less reliable than printed text. Clean, large handwriting may partly work, but expect errors.
Why does the first use take a while?
The recognition engine loads on first use and needs an internet connection for that. Later uses are faster because the engine is cached.
What should I do with errors in the extracted text?
Proofread it before using it. OCR is a starting point for editing, not a perfect transcription, especially for poor-quality images.