How to convert an image to text
- Drop one or more images on the box above, choose them from your device, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac).
- The text appears next to each image in a few seconds, with the same lines and paragraphs as in the picture.
- Fix anything in the text box if needed, then press Copy or download it as a .txt file. With several images, Copy all joins them in order.
Copy text from a screenshot
You do not need to save a screenshot first. Take it straight to the clipboard and paste it on this page:
- Windows: press Win+Shift+S, select the area, then press Ctrl+V here.
- Mac: press Cmd+Ctrl+Shift+4, select the area, then press Cmd+V here.
- Phone: take the screenshot as usual, tap Choose images and pick it from your photos.
Getting clean text from photos
Printed text in a sharp, well-lit photo comes out almost word for word. Most mistakes come from the photo, not the reading:
- Hold the phone straight above the page so the lines are not slanted or curved.
- Use even light and avoid shadows from your hand or the phone.
- Get close enough that the text fills the frame. Tiny text in a large photo is harder to read.
- Make sure the photo is in focus. Tap on the text before taking it.
Always check numbers, names and prices before you use the text. Similar shapes such as 0 and O, or 1 and l, are the usual mix-ups.
Tables, receipts and forms
Text that sits on the same line in the image stays on one line, and cells that are far apart are separated by a tab. Paste the result into Excel or Google Sheets and each cell lands in its own column. Two-column pages are read down the left column first, then the right.
Languages
Auto-detect works for most images, including pages that mix English with another language. If a page in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai or Arabic comes out wrong, choose the language from the menu and try again. Supported: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Czech, Romanian, Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Malay, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Cantonese, Japanese and Korean.
Image to text on iPhone and Android
Phones can also copy text from photos on their own. On an iPhone, open the photo and touch and hold the text (Live Text). On Android, open the photo in Google Photos, tap Lens, then Text. This page is handier for many images at once, for screenshots on a computer and when you want a .txt file.
Privacy
Images are sent to our server only to be read and are deleted right after. The text is not stored. Avoid uploading documents you are not allowed to share, such as other people's IDs.