If you work or study using your phone or computer, you've probably had to copy text from an image manually. Nowadays, however, this is no longer necessary, as there are several tools that can extract text from images automatically.
In today’s article, we’ll teach you how to do this on Android phones, iPhones, and PCs. All three tools are not only free to use, but they’re also very easy to learn how to use. Are you excited about being able to copy text from an image automatically? Let’s take a look at the step-by-step guide!
How to Copy Text from an Image on Android
The first of the three apps we'll talk about here was developed by Google, the company that created the Android operating system, which means that the app is compatible with almost all cell phones with this system. In addition to capturing text from images, the app can also read QR codes and perform Google searches using only photos.
After downloading the Google Lens on your phone, open it and select “Homework”. This will open your device’s camera within the app. Then, point it at the text you want to copy and press the button at the bottom of your screen. Now just go to “Select text” and copy the text to your clipboard.
How to Copy Text from an Image on iPhone
If you thought the Android method was easy, get ready, because the iPhone has a tool for copying text from an image already in its operating system. The feature, called “Live Text” not only copies text in images but also in videos! It is available for all iPhones with iOS 16 or later.
Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone, then select “General” and “Language & Region.” Turn on “Live Text” if it’s not already on. Now just go to your phone’s photo app and choose the image you want to copy the text from. Tap on the desired text and press “Select All.” That’s it, now you know how to copy text from an image on iPhone.
How to Copy Text from an Image on PC
If your PC is running Windows 11, you have access to an easy-to-use tool that can quickly copy text from an image. Before we move on to the step-by-step guide, make sure you have the image you want to copy the text from saved on your computer in an easily accessible folder.
Once you find the image, right-click on it and select “open with” and then “snip tool”. With the app open, tap “Text Actions” at the top of the screen. After loading for a short period of time, the app will highlight all the text in the image. All you have to do is select what you want and copy it.
Conclusion
So, did you learn how to copy text from an image? Which of the methods we taught above will you try first? Tell us in the comments! Want to know more about mobile apps? Then take a look at our article on 7 best apps to make a resume. Now, if you want to know more about how to copy text from a photo, watch the video below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to copy text from an image directly on your phone without installing apps?
If your cell phone is an iPhone, this is possible by following the steps above. However, on Android devices, you need to download Google Lens.
Is there any way to copy text from images that block this functionality?
Google Lens, through optical character recognition (OCR), can copy text from images even if the image does not allow copying.
How can I extract text from an image using Google?
Google's tool for extracting text from an image is called Google Lens and is available on both the Play Store and the Apple Store.
