About this tool
Retyping text from a photo, screenshot, or scanned page is slow and error-prone. This image to text tool extracts text directly from an image using Tesseract.js, an open-source OCR (optical character recognition) engine that runs entirely in your browser via WebAssembly — no image is ever uploaded to a server. Choose from over a dozen supported languages, then copy or download the extracted text.
How to use it
- 1Click the upload area or drag an image containing text onto it.
- 2Choose the language the text is written in.
- 3Wait for recognition to finish — a progress indicator shows the current stage.
- 4Copy the extracted text, or download it as a .txt file.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using a blurry, low-resolution, or heavily skewed photo — OCR accuracy depends heavily on image clarity and a roughly horizontal line of text.
- Selecting the wrong language before recognition — pick the language that matches the text in the image for accurate results.
- Expecting perfect accuracy on handwriting — this OCR engine is optimized for printed and typed text, not handwritten script.
Use cases
- Pulling a quote or paragraph out of a screenshot without retyping it.
- Digitizing text from a scanned document or photographed page.
- Extracting text from a photo of a sign, label, or receipt.
Frequently asked questions
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. Text recognition happens entirely in your browser using Tesseract.js, an open-source WebAssembly OCR engine. Your image never leaves your device.
Why did the first recognition take longer than expected?
The OCR engine downloads a language-specific data file the first time you use a given language. Once downloaded, recognition in that language is noticeably faster.
Can it read handwriting?
It's optimized for printed and typed text. Handwritten text — especially cursive or stylized handwriting — will produce much less reliable results.