PNG to text converter
Upload a .png and copy the text out of it, or save it as a TXT file. Screenshots, exported slides, scans, and graphics with transparent backgrounds all work.
First extraction free · no account needed · your file is deleted after it is read
PNG keeps small text intact, which is why it reads so well
PNG is lossless: the file holds exactly the pixels that were drawn. For OCR that means the thin strokes separating 1 from l, or a comma from a full stop, are still there when the image is read.
In our test the gap only showed on small text. At 342 pixels wide, an invoice saved as PNG came back with all 12 checked details right in three runs out of three. The same image as a JPEG at quality 30 came back with a wrong total.
Where this one earns its keep
Screenshots from Mac, Windows, and phones
Exported slides, charts, and diagrams
Logos and graphics on transparent backgrounds
One file in, one block of text out
invoice.png — only 342 px wide, fine print around 5 px tall
INVOICE 2026-0418 Northfield Print Co. · 14 Mill Lane, Leeds LS1 4AB Design retainer, August ... 1,850.00 Print proofs (3) ... 240.00 Total due ... 2,121.50 Pay to IBAN GB29 NWBK 6016 1331 9268 19 by 30 Sept.
How to convert PNG to text
Nothing to install, and the steps are the same on a phone or a computer.
- Crop the PNG to the part you need if it holds unrelated interface, images, or several columns.
- Upload it above. PNG files up to 10 MB are accepted and sent as they are, without re-compression.
- Check names, numbers, and punctuation against the image.
- Press Copy to paste the text anywhere, or Download TXT to save a .txt file.
PNG against JPG on small text: our test
We rendered one invoice with twelve details that have to come out exactly — four amounts, an IBAN, a date, a postcode, an email address, a product code and more — shrank it to three sizes, and saved each as PNG and as JPEG. Every file went through the same model and prompt this site uses, three times.
| Image width | PNG | JPEG quality 75 | JPEG quality 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 760 px (fine print about 10 px) | 12, 12, 12 | 12 at quality 60 and 95 | 12, 12, 12 |
| 456 px (about 6 px) | 12, 12, 12 | 12, 12, 12 | 11, 10, 11 |
| 342 px (about 5 px) | 12, 12, 12 | 11, 11, 11 | 4, 7, 6 |
What the numbers mean for your file
At normal screenshot sizes the format barely matters: both read everything. The difference appears when text gets small — a zoomed-out screenshot, a slide exported at low resolution, a thumbnail. There, PNG held every detail while the JPEG at quality 30 returned a fluent invoice with a total of 1,930.50 instead of 2,121.50.
So if you are saving an image you plan to OCR, save it as PNG. macOS and Windows already save screenshots as PNG by default, which is why screenshot to text is the most reliable case on this site.
The advantage does not travel backwards. A PNG made from an already-compressed JPG keeps every artefact: our quality-10 JPEG saved as PNG grew from 11 KB to 91 KB and read no better. If what you have is a JPG, upload it directly — JPG to text covers that case.
Transparent PNGs and pale text
Logos, stickers, and exported graphics often have a transparent background, which viewers show as white, black, or a checkerboard. We tested dark, grey, and white text on a fully transparent background: all three read — 12 of 12 details for dark and white text in every run, and 11 or 12 for mid-grey.
White text on a transparent PNG is a good example of why a file can look empty and still read: in a light image viewer it is invisible, but the text pixels are in the file. If a result surprises you, open the PNG on a dark background to see what the reader saw.
From PNG to a TXT file or editable text
The output is plain text in reading order, with line breaks kept where they carry meaning. Paste it into Word, Google Docs, a ticket, or a message, or download it as a .txt file.
Layout is not rebuilt. A chart or flowchart comes back as a list of its labels, and table cells come back as lines, so structured graphics need a quick check against the image.
Step by step: How to extract text from an image: a practical guide
Another file, another page
Common questions about png to text
Clear, well-lit text gives the model more signal. These are the details that matter for this format.
How do I convert a PNG to text?
Upload the .png above and the words come back as editable text you can copy or save as .txt. The first extraction is free and needs no account.
Can I convert a PNG to a TXT file?
Yes. After extraction, press Download TXT to save the text as a .txt file.
Is PNG better than JPG for OCR?
For small text, yes. In our test a 342-pixel-wide PNG read all 12 checked details every time, while the same image as a quality-30 JPEG got the total wrong. At normal sizes both read fully.
Does PNG transparency affect OCR?
Not in our test. Dark, grey, and white text on a transparent background all read. A file that looks blank in a light viewer can still contain white text.
Can I copy text from a PNG screenshot?
Yes, and screenshots are the easiest input: sharp, evenly lit, and already PNG on Mac and Windows.
Should I convert a JPG to PNG before uploading?
No. A PNG made from a compressed JPG keeps the compression damage. Upload the JPG as it is.
Will the text be editable?
Yes. You get plain characters, not a picture of them, so you can edit, search, and paste them anywhere.
How large can the PNG be?
Up to 10 MB. PNGs are uploaded without re-compression, so small print arrives exactly as it was saved.
PNG to text, without the retyping
Your first extraction is free and does not need an account.