Screenshots capture words as pixels, which makes them impossible to copy, search or quote. This tool reads a screenshot with OCR in your browser and returns the text as ordinary characters you can paste into a document, an email or a search box. It is made for the everyday case: an error dialog you need to google, a paragraph inside an app that blocks selection, or a snippet of chat you want to save as text.
What the Tool Does
Before recognition, the screenshot is prepared on a canvas in your browser: it is scaled up and converted to greyscale with stronger contrast, which helps the OCR engine separate letters from busy backgrounds. The engine then reads the image line by line and outputs plain text. Because everything happens locally, private screenshots — messages, dashboards, invoices — never leave your machine.
How to Extract Text from a Screenshot
- Take your screenshot and save it as a PNG or JPG file.
- Upload it with the file picker, or drag it onto the drop area.
- Let the tool enhance the image and run the recognition.
- Check the extracted text in the result box and tidy any mistakes.
- Copy the text or save it as a .txt file.
Typical Uses
- Copying error messages and codes so you can search for fixes.
- Saving text from apps and websites that disable copy and paste.
- Turning screenshot notes from meetings into editable minutes.
- Extracting text from UI mockups and design screenshots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it work with small text?
Mostly, yes. The built-in enlargement step helps with small fonts, but very tiny or blurry text may still misread a character here and there.
Are my screenshots stored or sent anywhere?
No. The image is processed locally in your browser and is never uploaded, stored or shared.
Can it read text in dark mode screenshots?
Usually. Light text on a dark background is inverted during preparation, which lets the OCR engine treat it like a normal printed page.