Image to Text

Upload one image and pull out every word it contains, ready to copy. Works on scans, screenshots and photos of printed documents. Handwriting is not read reliably.

Free to use
Works on any device
Stays on your device

Photos and screenshots
Nine languages, auto-detected
Copy or download the text
No account needed

JPG · PNG · WebP

Drag & drop files here

or choose a file from your device

Choose an image to extract its text

JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 images

No internet? Get the Windows appOn your phone? Get the phone app

Document languageAutomatic

We'll work out the language from the document itself.

Everything Image to Text can do

Read the words out of a photo, a scan or a screenshot and get them back as text you can copy, edit and search. Free, online, no account needed.

What you can bring

JPG, PNG and WebP images
Photos of a page, camera shots and screenshots
Several images read in one go

Reading the words

The script worked out from the image itself
Nine languages, from Bangla and Arabic to Chinese and Dutch
Your script and English recognised on the same line
A page shot at an angle straightened before it is read

Seeing what came back

The image on screen beside the text taken from it
A thumbnail rail to move between your images
Copy one image's text from the image itself
Each image's text kept as its own block

Copying it out

Copy the text from every image at once
Save every image's text to one .txt file
Each block labelled Image 1, Image 2 and so on
Every word as editable text rather than a picture of one

How it works

Image to Text in three steps

Choose up to five images

Drag your images onto the panel, or click it to pick them from your device. The text is read in your browser, so the images stay on your device. Only if your browser cannot run the reader are they sent to our server instead, and deleted as soon as they have been read.

Let it read them

The language is detected for you, or you can name it yourself if you already know. Each image is read separately and kept separate in the result.

Copy or download the text

Copy one image's text, copy everything at once, or download it all as a .txt file. Recognition is an estimate. Check anything that matters.

Step by step

Image to Text: a visual walkthrough

Pull real, selectable text out of a photo or screenshot, in Bangla, English, Hindi, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese or Dutch.

Choose up to five images
Drag your images onto the panel, or click it to pick them from your device. The text is read in your browser, so the images stay on your device. Only if your browser cannot run the reader are they sent to our server instead, and deleted as soon as they have been read.
Let it read them
The language is detected for you, or you can name it yourself if you already know. Each image is read separately and kept separate in the result.
Copy or download the text
Copy one image's text, copy everything at once, or download it all as a .txt file. Recognition is an estimate. Check anything that matters.

Frequently asked questions about Image to Text

How do I copy text from an image?

Choose the image and the recognised text appears beside it. Copy one image's text, copy the text of every image at once, or download it all as a .txt file.

Can I get text from a photo I took on my phone?

Yes. Pick the photo from your gallery in the phone's browser. For the best result, hold the phone square to the page, fill the frame with the text and use even light without shadows.

Which languages are supported?

Bangla, English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Arabic, Chinese and Russian. The language is detected automatically, or you can select it yourself.

How many images can I process at once?

Up to five, and each one's text is kept separate in the result.

How accurate is it?

Usually high on clear, well-lit images and lower on small text, photos taken at an angle, and handwriting. Check anything important before you rely on it.

Can it read handwriting?

Not reliably. Recognition is built for printed and typed text, and handwriting usually comes out with many errors or not at all. It is not a dependable way to transcribe handwritten notes.

Can I get text from a screenshot?

Yes. A screenshot is one of the easiest cases, because the text is sharp, straight and evenly lit, so it usually reads accurately. Choose it as a PNG or JPG.

What happens to my file?

It stays on your device. Your browser reads the text out of the picture, so the image is not uploaded. Only if your browser cannot run the reader is the image sent to our server instead, over an encrypted connection, and deleted as soon as it has been read. We keep a record that the tool was used, but not the file name or what is in the image.

Is it free?

Yes. Every tool works without paying and without an account. Files can be up to 200 pages and 50 MB, and a run that fails costs you nothing. Pro removes the limits.

Do I need to create an account?

No. All tools work without signing in. An account raises your allowance and lets you see what you have processed.