How to extract text from an image: a practical guide
The fastest OCR result usually starts before the upload. A straight page, even light, and readable type make a bigger difference than a complicated tool.
Read the guideOCR field notes
Useful text starts with a useful scan.
Short, practical guides for the moments when words are stuck inside a photo, screenshot, PDF, or handwritten page.
Latest guides
Start with the file in front of you.
Each guide focuses on a different input and the decisions that improve the result, so you can skip generic OCR advice.
How to take a photo that OCR can read
A few seconds of setup can save a long correction pass. These photo tips help OCR recognize the words on a page, receipt, label, or whiteboard.
Read the guideHow to copy text from a screenshot on Mac or Windows
Screenshots are often the only copy of a chat, error, receipt, or web page. Here is how to turn that image into editable text without retyping it.
Read the guideHow to OCR a scanned PDF and make it searchable
A PDF can look like a document while containing only page pictures. This guide explains how to tell the difference and what to do next.
Read the guideHow to convert handwriting to text
Handwriting OCR is most useful when the page is clear and the writing is consistent. The goal is a fast first transcription, not a promise that every character will be perfect.
Read the guideReady to try it?
Put the words back to work.
Upload an image, screenshot, or scanned PDF in the OCR workspace. Your first extraction is free.