We often take screenshots of important stuff, such as a document, a card, or an image with something useful. But it becomes daunting when you need to type the same things in another window by looking at it.
Thankfully, Windows 11 has multiple apps offering Optical Character Recognition (OCR) capabilities. Using them, you can scan and extract text from images and save or use it to fill a form or document.
This post will discuss multiple methods to help you copy text from images using natively available Windows apps and third-party software.
1. Using the Snipping Tool
Snipping Tool is the default screenshot app in Windows 11 that has evolved a lot. You can scan images from the captured screenshots and even scan QR codes.
Open the image from which you want to copy the text in a photo viewer app. Press the Win + Shift + S shortcut to launch the Snipping Tool. Drag the mouse to select the text area and capture a screenshot. Then click on the Text Actions button.
It’ll identify the text in the image and highlight it. Use the mouse to select required text or click the Copy All button to copy everything. That’s it! The text is available in the Windows Clipboard for later use.
2. Using Copilot
Copilot is an AI assistant now pre-installed as a web app in Windows 11. You can use its AI capabilities to scan the image for text and copy it.
Open Copilot by clicking on the Taskbar icon. Then, drag the image into it, followed by a prompt to “extract text.” Press Enter to see a list of all the extracted text line-by-line. Note that some information can appear out of place, so compare the text with the image before using it.
For example, it puts “Chrome Family Enterprise Education Dev and Partners Stay Connected” in one line because they appear on the webpage in the same line. But in reality, these are four different sections on the page.
3. Using Phone Link App
Microsoft recently added an OCR feature in Phone Link to copy text from images on your Android or iOS device. Simply update the Phone Link app to the latest version and connect your phone with it.
After that, launch the Phone Link and switch to the Photos tab. Double-click on the photo to open it in preview mode. Click on the Text option in the menu bar.
It will select and highlight all the text in the image. Click on the Copy text option. You can also copy a word or line by highlighting it with the cursor.
4. Using Power Toys
PowerToys is an excellent tool for adding multiple features to Windows 11 that make your life easier. It has dozens of valuable utilities, including Text Extractor, that can help you copy text from images.
It is an official tool, so you don’t need to worry about a creepy utility stealing your data. Install it from Microsoft Store or GitHub and launch it. Find Text Extractor in the vertical menu on the left side and click on it. Then, click on the toggle to enable the feature.
Open the image in an image viewer app. Press the Win + Shift + T shortcut to launch the Text Extractor feature. Select the Text area, and it’ll scan and copy the text automatically.
Note: PowerToys recommends using the Snipping Tool and needs dedicated OCR packs for other languages.
5. Using Google Lens
Like Copilot, you can use Google Lens to scan and search for the image contents. In this case, we’ll simply use it to highlight the text in the screenshot. Note that when you use Google Lens, it uploads the screenshot to Google.
Open a new Google Chrome window. Then, drag the image from the File Explorer to the Chrome window to copy it. Right-click on the image and select the “Search with Google Lens” option.
Like the Snipping Tool, Google Lens finds all the text bits in the image. Use the cursor to highlight the text, then press Ctrl + C to Copy it.
FAQs
Does Windows 11 have OCR software?
Yes. Windows 11 has multiple apps that have the OCR feature built-in. You can scan image text using the Snipping Tool, Phone Link, or Copilot.
Which OCR is best for Windows 11?
Microsoft has made it easy to copy text from images and offers the feature in multiple Windows 11 apps. You don’t need to look elsewhere unless you want to scan and copy a lesser-known language.
Can I do OCR in Word?
No. You’ll have to use the Snipping Tool to capture a screenshot of the document and then use Text Actions to scan the text. Word doesn’t offer an OCR feature.
Wrapping Up
Copying text from images is not a problem in Windows 11. There are multiple options to do so, and it even works with various languages. Google Lens was the go-to web tool for scanning text until Microsoft shipped OCR in several Windows 11 apps.
Some third-party options are available on Microsoft Store, but why go there when Snipping Tool does an excellent job?
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