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Screenshot to Text (OCR)
Extract Text from Screenshot Images • Copy Instantly

Turn a screenshot into real, copyable text. Upload a screenshot of an error message, chat, PDF, slide, or website and extract the text with OCR — no retyping.

Most screenshots are PNG. If you specifically have a PNG file, use PNG to Text. For all images use Image to Text. If you have the original PDF, use OCR PDF or Make PDF Searchable.

Upload ScreenshotHow it works (3 steps)

Why this “extract text from screenshot” tool works

  • Extract text from a screenshot online (OCR) — copy text you can’t select
  • Perfect for error messages, chats, PDFs, slides, dashboards, and code snippets
  • Crop to the exact area you need for cleaner OCR and fewer line-break issues
  • Choose the correct language to improve OCR accuracy (especially accents)
  • Copy extracted text instantly into tickets, emails, docs, or search
  • Free and fast (no watermark on output)
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Tip: selecting the correct language usually improves OCR accuracy.

Popular screenshot → text use cases

People usually screenshot text when copy is blocked, broken, or too slow. OCR turns that screenshot back into editable text.

Copy error messages & logs

Turn a screenshot of an error message into real text for support tickets, GitHub issues, and search.

Chats, emails, and messages

Extract text from WhatsApp/Telegram/Slack/email screenshots when copy is disabled or messy.

Code snippets from screenshots

Grab code from a screenshot and paste it into your editor (then quickly fix formatting).

If your screenshot came from a PDF and you have the actual PDF file, OCR the PDF directly for cleaner output: OCR PDF or Make PDF Searchable.

How to extract text from a screenshot (3 steps)

  1. 1) Upload your screenshot

    Upload a screenshot image that contains text (error message, chat, slide, website, etc.).

  2. 2) Crop to the text area

    Crop out sidebars and icons so OCR focuses only on the words you need.

  3. 3) Select language, run OCR, and copy the text

    Choose the correct language (recommended), run OCR, then copy/paste the extracted text anywhere.

Get better screenshot OCR accuracy (quick wins)

Screenshot OCR usually fails for one reason: the text is too small or the screenshot includes too much UI. Fix that first.

Crop tight to the text

Crop out icons, sidebars, and extra UI. Less noise = better OCR.

Use high-resolution screenshots

Zoom in before taking the screenshot (especially on mobile). Tiny text = OCR mistakes.

Pick the right language

Selecting the correct language typically improves OCR accuracy, especially for accented characters.

No hype: OCR depends on image quality

If your screenshot is blurry, low-resolution, or super low-contrast, expect OCR mistakes. For important text, always proofread.

Fix common “copy text from screenshot” problems

OCR output has wrong characters (0/O, 1/I, accents missing)

Retake the screenshot at higher zoom and select the correct language before OCR.

The text breaks into weird lines

Crop to a single text block. Mixed layouts (tables + multiple columns) often cause messy line breaks.

Dark mode screenshot OCR looks worse

If possible, switch to light mode or increase zoom. Low-contrast UI can reduce accuracy.

Built-in ways to copy text from screenshots (and when to use OCR)

Some devices can extract text directly. This is useful context and also helps users who search “copy text from screenshot iPhone/Windows”.

iPhone / iPad

Apple’s Live Text can copy text from photos/screenshots when available. If it fails or you want a web workflow, use OCR here.

Windows 11

Snipping Tool has “Text actions” for text extraction in some versions. If you need a consistent web tool, use OCR here.

Android / Chrome

Google Lens can copy text from images/screenshots. OCR here helps when you want a quick upload + language selection flow.

If you have the original document (PDF/image), OCR the source file instead of screenshotting for better results.

Related OCR workflows

PNG screenshots → text

Most screenshots are PNG. Try PNG to Text for a format-focused page.

Open PNG to Text

Have the PDF? OCR the PDF instead

For cleaner output use OCR PDF or Make PDF Searchable.

Need just a few pages (page cap)

If your PDF is long, use Split PDF first, then OCR the smaller file.

All images (JPG/PNG)

Use Image to Text for universal image OCR.

Security & privacy

OCR requires processing images to recognize text. If you’re testing, use sample screenshots or redact sensitive parts.

Privacy checklist

  • Avoid uploading highly sensitive screenshots when possible.
  • Crop to only the region you need.
  • Review Privacy and Terms.

FAQs

How do I extract text from a screenshot?

Upload the screenshot, crop to the text area, choose the correct language (recommended), run OCR, then copy the extracted text.

Is screenshot-to-text the same as PNG to text?

Most screenshots are PNG, so yes. This page is optimized for screenshot intent. If you specifically have a PNG file, you can also use PNG to Text.

Does it work on iPhone and Android screenshots?

Yes. Upload the screenshot image and run OCR. For best results, use a sharp screenshot and crop to the text.

Why not just use iPhone Live Text / Windows Snipping Tool?

Those are great when available. This tool is useful when built-in options aren’t accessible, you want a consistent web workflow, or you need language selection and a simple copy flow in one place.

I actually have the PDF—should I screenshot it?

Usually no. If you have the PDF file, use OCR PDF or Make PDF Searchable for cleaner results.

What if my PDF is too long (page limit)?

Use Split PDF to keep only the pages you need, then run OCR on the smaller PDF.

Related tools

Extract text from a screenshot now

Upload a screenshot, crop to the text, choose language, run OCR, and copy instantly.

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