How to read English text from an image
- Add your image or PDF.
- Turn on paragraphs for book pages, or leave it off for lists and receipts.
- Select English OCR, then copy the text or download it.
About this tool
Pull the words out of a screenshot, a photographed notice or a scanned report. English is the most accurate of the languages here, and it copes with tilted pages, uneven light and dark-mode screenshots. If your PDF already holds real text, that text is used exactly as it is, and only image-only pages are read by OCR.
Common questions
Should I use this or OCR PDF?
Use this when you want the text itself. Use OCR PDF when you want to keep the PDF, with its pages looking the same but with selectable, searchable text.
Can it read a receipt or a form?
Yes, but leave paragraphs off so each line stays separate. Columns of prices may not stay lined up with their labels.
Is it free to use?
Yes. You can use it without an account a few times a day, and a free account raises the daily limit. Nothing is added to your file unless you ask for it.
What happens to my files?
Your files are only used to run the tool you chose, and they're deleted automatically after about 24 hours.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It all works in your browser, on any computer or phone.