Image to Text Converter

Pull the words out of a photo, screenshot or scanned page, then copy them or save them as a .txt file.

The text is read on your device. Your image is not uploaded.

How to extract text from an image

  1. Pick the language of the text. The reader uses a different language file for each language, so the right choice matters for accents and Japanese characters.
  2. Add the image. Drop it on the box, choose a file, paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V, or take a photo on your phone.
  3. Wait for the reading to finish. A progress bar shows how far it is. Short texts are quick. A full page on an older phone can take longer.
  4. Check, then copy or download. Fix any mistakes in the text box, then press Copy text or Download .txt.

The first run in a language is slower because the page downloads that language file. Your browser keeps it, so the next image in the same language starts much faster.

What it reads well, and where it struggles

The reader is built for printed text. The cleaner and straighter the text in the image, the fewer mistakes you get.

ImageWhat to expect
Screenshots of apps, emails and web pagesUsually very accurate
Printed documents, book pages, lettersUsually accurate when the photo is sharp and straight
Receipts and labelsGood on clear print. Faded thermal paper loses characters
Signs, posters and photos of screensMixed. Angles, glare and busy backgrounds cause errors
Tables and two-column pagesThe words come out, but the table layout is not kept
HandwritingLimited. Neat capitals sometimes work, joined-up writing mostly fails
Worth checking: Always read the result before you use it for anything important, such as an address, an amount or a reference number.

Tips for a cleaner result

  • Take the photo straight on, not at an angle, with the page filling most of the frame.
  • Use even light and avoid a shadow across the text.
  • Crop away everything that is not text. The Image Cropper does this in a few seconds.
  • Turn a sideways photo upright first with the Image Rotator.
  • If the text is tiny in the photo, move closer or zoom in before you take it.

My own habit: crop to the paragraph I need before reading it. A tight crop gives the reader less to get wrong, and the result needs fewer fixes.

Text from a PDF or a scanned document

This tool reads images, not PDF files. For a scanned PDF, turn each page into an image with PDF to Image, then add the pages here one at a time. To go the other way and bundle photos of pages into one file, use Image to PDF.

Is my image private?

The text is read inside your browser, so the image stays on your device. The page downloads the reading engine and the language file from a public download server, and your browser keeps a copy for later visits. The image you add and the text you get are not sent to MergeImages.

Image to Text FAQ

Is this image to text converter free?

Yes. It is free, needs no account and has no daily limit on the number of images.

Is my image uploaded to a server?

No. The text is read by your own browser, so the image stays on your device. The page only downloads the reading engine and the language file it needs.

Which languages can it read?

English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French and Japanese. Pick the language before you add the image, or change it afterwards and the image is read again.

Can it read handwriting?

Only a little. It is made for printed text. Neat block capitals sometimes come out right, but joined-up handwriting usually comes out with many mistakes.

Can I get text from a screenshot?

Yes. Screenshots are the easiest case because the text is sharp and straight. On a computer, take the screenshot and press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac) on this page.

Why is the first image slower?

The first time, the page downloads the reading engine and the file for your language, a few megabytes in total. Your browser keeps them, so later images start much faster.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. Tap the box to take a photo or pick one from your gallery. A newer phone reads a page faster than an older one, because the work happens on the device.

Can it convert a PDF to text?

Not directly. Turn the PDF pages into images with the PDF to Image tool first, then add each page here.

Choose The Right Tool

Why this page exists

Pull printed text out of a photo, screenshot or scan in your browser, then copy it or download a .txt file. Reads English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French and Japanese.

Best for

  • Copying text out of a screenshot
  • Turning a photo of a printed page into editable text
  • Grabbing a quote, an address or a list from an image