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Ever needed the words out of a screenshot, a scanned page, or a photo of a document? Optical Character Recognition (OCR) reads the text inside an image and turns it into editable, copyable text. This guide shows how to do it for free and how to get clean results.
What is OCR?
OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It detects letters and words inside an image, a photo, screenshot, or scan, and converts them into real text you can copy, edit, and search. It saves you from retyping anything by hand.
When is it handy?
- Copying text from a screenshot or an infographic.
- Digitising a printed page or receipt.
- Grabbing a quote from a photo of a book or sign.
- Turning a scanned form into editable text.
How to extract text from an image
- Open the free Image to Text tool.
- Upload your image or screenshot.
- Let it process, then copy the extracted text.
Tips for accurate results
Use a sharp, well-lit image; blurry or angled photos lower accuracy. Higher contrast between text and background helps. If a scan is crooked, straighten it first. For long documents, process one clear page at a time for the cleanest output.
Frequently asked questions
Does OCR work on handwriting?
It works best on printed or typed text. Neat handwriting may work, but results vary.
Is my image private?
Use only images you have the right to process. Our tool is free and made for quick, everyday text extraction.
Try it with the free Image to Text tool, or see all our free online tools.