How to Extract Text From an Image or PDF (Free OCR)
3 min read
Need to copy text from a screenshot, a photo of a document, or a scanned PDF? OCR (optical character recognition) turns the pixels of text into characters you can actually edit and search.
This guide shows how to extract text from an image for free, with the recognition running in your browser so your file is never uploaded.
Step by step
- 1Open the Image to Text tool
Go to the Image to Text (OCR) tool. It loads a small recognition engine in your browser the first time.
- 2Upload your image or PDF
Choose a photo, screenshot, or scanned PDF. Sharp, well-lit images with upright text give the best results.
- 3Pick the language
Select the language of the text — English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and more — so the engine recognizes the right characters.
- 4Extract and copy
Run it, then copy the recognized text or download it as a .txt file. You can fix any stray characters in the editable box first.
Tips
- Higher-resolution images produce far more accurate text than small or blurry ones.
- For multi-page scanned PDFs, the tool reads each page and combines the text for you.
- Straighten skewed photos before running OCR — tilted text lowers accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Is the OCR free and private?
Yes. Recognition runs in your browser, so your image or PDF is never uploaded, and there's no signup or paywall.
Can it read handwriting?
OCR works best on printed or typed text. Neat handwriting may partly work, but printed text is far more reliable.
Which languages are supported?
A dozen, including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Russian and Hindi. Pick the matching language for best accuracy.