How to Extract Text from an Image (Free OCR, No Upload)
OCR (optical character recognition) turns a picture of text into editable, copyable text. You don't need an app or an account — it runs right in your browser. Here's how to extract text from a screenshot, scanned page, or photo in seconds.
Use the tool
Image to Text (OCR)
Step-by-step
- 1
Open Image to Text
Use our Image to Text (OCR) tool. Recognition happens locally — your image never uploads.
- 2
Drop in your image
Drag a screenshot, scan, or photo of a document onto the upload area.
- 3
Click Extract text
On the first run the OCR engine downloads once, then it reads the image on your device.
- 4
Review and edit
The extracted text appears in an editable box — fix any misreads, especially around unusual fonts.
- 5
Copy or download
Copy the text to your clipboard or save it as a .txt file.
💡 Tips
- Higher-resolution, high-contrast images read far better than blurry or low-light photos.
- Straighten skewed scans before running OCR — text that's roughly horizontal is recognized most accurately.
- For a wall of small text, crop to the section you actually need so the engine focuses on it.
FAQ
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. The OCR engine runs in your browser; only the engine and language data download once. Your image stays on your device.
Why are some characters wrong?
OCR isn't perfect on stylized fonts, handwriting, or low-resolution text. The result is editable so you can correct mistakes.
Can it read handwriting?
It's built for printed text. Neat handwriting sometimes works, but results vary.
Disclaimer. This guide is for general informational purposes. Our tools run entirely in your browser and process files on your device, so exact results depend on your image, browser, and the settings you choose. Read our editorial policy.