Image to Text Converter (OCR)
Add a photo, screenshot or scanned PDF and get the words back as text you can copy. The recognition engine runs in your browser, so your file is never uploaded.
Drop images or scanned PDFs here
or paste from your clipboard
Nothing is uploaded. Files stay on your device. Up to 200 MB each.
Options
- No upload Files stay on your device
- No account No signup, no watermark
- Free No usage limits
How to use this converter
- Choose the language of the text in the options, then add photos, screenshots or scanned PDFs.
- Choose Extract text and wait while the recognition engine reads the picture. The first run needs a moment to load its data.
- Check the text, then copy it or download it as a .txt file.
When image to text helps
Copying text out of a screenshot, a photographed page or a scanned receipt is faster than typing it again. OCR (optical character recognition) reads the letters in the picture and gives you text you can copy and edit.
Typical situations
- Copying text from a screenshot, slide or photographed page
- Pulling the words out of a scanned receipt or letter
- Digitizing a scanned PDF so you can search and quote it
What to watch for
You can choose English, Spanish, French or German. Accuracy depends on the image: sharp, well lit, high contrast text with straight lines works best, while blurry photos, handwriting, curved pages and decorative fonts give poor results. Always proofread the output. The first run downloads the recognition data once, which takes a moment.
Tips for better results
- Crop the image so only the text remains, and make sure it is upright.
- Higher resolution scans read better than tiny screenshots, so avoid zooming out before you capture.
- Choose the language that matches the text, and always proofread names, numbers and punctuation.
Other ways to copy text from an image
Extract text from an image on an iPhone, iPad or Mac
Recent versions of iOS, iPadOS and macOS have Live Text: open a photo, then touch and hold the words to select and copy them.
Extract text from a screenshot on Windows 11
In Windows 11, the Snipping Tool can recognize text in a screenshot so you can copy it from the capture.
Frequently asked questions
How can I get better OCR results?
Use a sharp image with the text facing the camera, even lighting and strong contrast between text and background. Crop away anything that is not text before you add the image.
How do I convert a photo to text?
Add the photo, choose the language of the words in it and copy the recognized text. Straight, well lit photos of printed text work best.
How do I turn a screenshot into text?
Paste the screenshot with Ctrl+V or drop the file onto the page. The words appear below and you can copy them or download a text file.
Can I convert handwriting to text?
This engine is built for printed text. Neat block capitals sometimes work, but cursive handwriting usually does not, so expect poor results.
Is there a free OCR online without signup?
This one is free, needs no account and does not upload your file. You choose English, Spanish, French or German.
Can I paste the recognized text into Word?
Yes. Copy the text and paste it into Word or any editor. The result is plain text, so formatting such as columns and tables is not kept.
Can I extract text from a scanned PDF?
Yes. Add the PDF and each page is rendered and read in turn, then the text of all pages is combined. Scanned PDFs without a text layer work best with a clear, straight scan.
Which languages are supported?
English, Spanish, French and German. Choose the language in the options before you add your files, because recognition works best when it matches the text in the image.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs in your browser using your own device, so the files are not sent to Convert In Place or anyone else. See how it works for a way to check this yourself.
Is there a limit on file size or number of files?
You can use it as often as you like. One batch holds up to 200 files, and each file can be up to 200 MB. Large files and long batches depend on the memory of your device, and phones handle less than computers.
Related converters
- PDF to PNG ConverterOpen a PDF and save each page as a PNG image.
- JPG to PDF ConverterAdd one or more images, put them in order and create a single PDF.
- PNG to PDF ConverterAdd PNG images or screenshots, arrange them and create one PDF.
Guides
- How to extract text from an image, screenshot or scanned PDFWays to copy text out of a photo, screenshot or scanned PDF on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac and in the browser, plus tips for getting accurate OCR results.
- PDF to image: which resolution should you choose?Choosing a resolution for PDF to JPG or PNG: how dpi relates to pixels, the sizes for a US Letter page and which setting fits screens, slides and print.
- How OCR works and why it makes mistakesA plain explanation of how OCR reads text from an image, why errors happen and how to prepare a picture so the result needs fewer corrections.
Last reviewed October 2026. Conversion uses open source libraries running in your browser, listed on the how it works page. Convert In Place is not affiliated with Apple, Google, Adobe or any format owner.