You'll Never Type Again: Best Options for Extracting Text from Images in Windows

In the digital age, capture information from an image or photograph on your computer has become an increasingly common need. Whether you want to scan printed documents, retrieve data from a screenshot, or simply copy text from a photo someone sent you, Windows offers several ways to achieve this.

Many users are unaware that Extract text from an image in Windows It is now easier than ever thanks to new features included in the latest versions of the operating system and certain external tools. Microsoft has made significant progress to facilitate this task, avoiding the need to manually write large amounts of information.

What is OCR and what is it used for?

Before getting down to business with the practical methods and tools, it is important to be clear about the key concept that enables this process: Optical character recognition, better known as OCR for its acronym in English (Optical Character Recognition). This technology Identifies and digitizes printed or handwritten characters present in images, photographs or even videos, and converts them into editable text.

The usefulness of OCR in everyday life is enormous. You can copy content from scanned documents, photo posters, screenshots, or any image where text cannot normally be selected.This way, that text goes to the clipboard, and you can paste it into any application to edit, translate, share, or store it.

Main methods to extract text from an image in Windows

We're going to break down all the practical and current alternatives you can use in Windows to extract text from images, using both built-in tools and additional free utilities or online applications. Each method has its advantages, specific features, and ideal use cases.

1. Using the Snipping Tool and OCR built into Windows 11

Since Microsoft released the Windows 23 2H11 update, The traditional Snipping Tool has undergone a major facelift. Now includes a function of Integrated OCR that accurately recognizes text in images and screenshots. It's perhaps the most straightforward and hassle-free option.

Steps to extract text with the Snipping Tool in Windows 11:

• Confirm that you have Windows 11 version 23H2 or laterThis update is essential, as it activates the text recognition feature. If you don't have it, check your system for new updates.
• Open the image you want to extract text from, or take a new screenshot using the Snipping Tool app. You can open the app from the Start menu by searching for "Snipping Tool" or using the shortcut Win + Shift + S.
• To work with an existing image, simply select the three dots in the top right corner and click "Open File," then choose your photo or screenshot.
• On the toolbar, select the option Text ActionsWhen you tap this feature, the system uses artificial intelligence to automatically highlight all the text detected in the image.
• To copy the text, simply click on «Copy all text» at the top, or manually select a specific part and use right click or Ctrl + C to send it to the clipboard.
• Content It is now ready to paste into any application: Word, notepad, mail, browser, etc.

Tips: For best results, use good quality, high-resolution images, without blurry or overly small elements. In poor-quality images, recognition may not be accurate and will require re-editing the resulting text.

2. PowerToys and its Text Extractor module: total versatility to extract text

Another popular and very powerful alternative, especially if you have Windows 10 or want more flexibility, is the utility power toys from Microsoft. It integrates a function called Text Extractor which allows you to extract text from any visible part of the screen, whether it's a photo, video, scanned document, or even from applications that don't allow you to copy text directly.

What are PowerToys? They are a Free set of advanced utilities to get the most out of your Windows operating systemAmong the many options it includes, Text Extractor stands out especially for its simplicity and usefulness for the task at hand.

How to use PowerToys Text Extractor step by step:

• Download and install PowerToys from its official GitHub page or the Microsoft Store.
• Access the application and search for the «Text Extractor» section in the left panel.
• Make sure that the function is activated. From the same screen, you can customize the keyboard shortcut that you will activate to launch the extractor (by default, it is Win + Shift + T).
• When you want to copy text, open or place the image on screen (or any visual content) from which you need to extract information.
• Press the corresponding keyboard shortcutYou'll see the screen go dark and a crosshair appear to select the area.
• Select by holding down the left mouse button the specific area where the text to be captured is located.
• Upon release, the OCR analyzes the region and copy the text directly to the clipboard.

This method works not only for images, but for anything you see on the screen. It's useful, for example, for copying text from applications that don't allow it, paused videos, protected PDFs, video game screenshots, etc. Furthermore, reliability and language support depend on the OCR language packs installed on WindowsYou can check out and install more languages ​​if needed, using PowerShell as an administrator.

Advanced settings and configurations for PowerToys Text Extractor

Within PowerToys you can customize several options related to Text Extractor:

• Key combination: Modify the global shortcut to adapt its operation to your preferences and avoid conflicts with other applications.
• Preferred language: Choose the OCR language pack that best suits the text you want to recognize.

If you need to install or check which languages ​​are available, you can open PowerShell as an administrator and use the following commands:

• Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object { $_.Name -Like 'Language.OCR*' } to list installed or available OCR packages.
• $Capability = Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object { $_.Name -Like 'Language.OCR*es-ES*' } to search for the Spanish package, for example.
• $Capability | Add-WindowsCapability -Online to install it, or $Capability | Remove-WindowsCapability -Online if you want to delete it.

If at any point PowerToys tells you that “There are no possible OCR languages ​​installed”, make sure that the language you need is installed correctly and your folder /Windows/OCR is in the correct unit (C:).

Getting the most out of OneNote and other Microsoft programs

Another classic option, still valid and especially practical if you use the Microsoft office suite a lot, is OneNoteThis note-taking app also integrates its own OCR (Optical Recognition) technology, allowing you to extract text from images quickly and easily.

How to copy text from an image with OneNote:

• Open the OneNote app, available for free or through Microsoft 365.
• upload the image from which you want to get the text.
• Right click on the image and select the option «Copy text from image» in the context menu.
• The text will be automatically copied to the clipboard. Now you can stick it wherever you want: Word, mail, notes, etc.

This feature is especially useful in office environments and if you already use OneNote to organize information. Additionally, OneNote recognizes text in multiple languages ​​and handles images of varying quality well..

More external alternatives: Google Keep, Adobe Acrobat and others

Perhaps one of the above solutions doesn't suit your preferences, or you already use other tools in your daily life. multiple applications and utilities that also integrate OCR functions to extract text from images in Windows.

• Google Keep: It's Google's notes app. It lets you upload images and extract the text inside thanks to its built-in OCR. All from the web version, with no installation required.
• Adobe Acrobat ReaderIf you work with PDFs that contain scanned images or graphic documents, Acrobat allows you to extract text using its OCR technology. However, for advanced features, you need a paid subscription.
• Other appsThere are third-party programs for Windows that offer very advanced OCR, but the options described above generally cover most common needs at no cost.

Tips for achieving better text recognition in images

No matter which method you choose, some general tips can make all the difference in terms of quality and accuracy of the extracted text:

• Use sharp, well-lit, blur-free images.
• Avoid photos that are too small or with low resolution.
• If you can, pre-crop the image to display only the relevant text, so the OCR will work with less visual noise.
• Check that the image language matches the installed OCR languages on your system, if you use PowerToys or other tools that allow it.
• Always review the resulting text, as some symbols, unclear words or special formatting may not be recognized correctly.

The advancement of artificial intelligence and OCR in Windows has greatly facilitated a task that, Until very recently, it required installing specialized programs or manually transcribing information from images.Native Windows features, PowerPoint, OneNote, and various web services offer free and effective options for converting any text or image into editable information in seconds.

The choice of method It will depend on the version of Windows and your specific needs., but the variety of options available makes it easier to be productive and save time on common tasks.

Related article:

What you should know before extracting text from images with ChatGPT

Alberto navarro

I am a technology enthusiast who has turned his "geek" interests into a profession. I have spent more than 10 years of my life using cutting-edge technology and tinkering with all kinds of programs out of pure curiosity. Now I have specialized in computer technology and video games. This is because for more than 5 years I have been writing for various websites on technology and video games, creating articles that seek to give you the information you need in a language that is understandable to everyone.

If you have any questions, my knowledge ranges from everything related to the Windows operating system as well as Android for mobile phones. And my commitment is to you, I am always willing to spend a few minutes and help you resolve any questions you may have in this internet world.