In this article, we will discuss how to copy text from an image. All of us periodically face the need for something like: getting the text of a system or software error from a screenshot, text from a video frame, infographic, meme picture, postcard, scan of a document or book. Some people need to master complex non-Russian programs by translating screenshots of the interface. How to solve the problem simply, quickly and for free?
How to copy text from an image
1. Application “Scissors”
In Windows 11, you can copy text from an image using standard tools from among the new features of the operating system. First of all, with the help of the relatively recently updated “Scissors” screenshot application. It introduced the functionality of text recognition in images. We take a screenshot of the inscriptions with this application, or open the image itself in it, if its format is supported. We recognize the text and copy it – all or individual segments.
The application screen capture panel can be launched using the hotkeys Win+Shift+S; during active work, you can enable the launch of this panel in the Windows 11 system settings by pressing the Print Screen key.
2. Windows Copilot
But, friends, it’s much more interesting that in Windows 11 we can use the recently introduced Windows Copilot system AI assistant for this task. Add a screenshot of an inscription or an image (from the clipboard or file) to the chat with him. Please tell us what is written in the picture.
And we get a recognized and even translated text into Russian, if the original one was in another language. If necessary, we can initially tell Copilot whether it should translate the text or simply recognize it. If the AI assistant has not translated the text, but this is necessary, we additionally ask it for translation. As a result, we copy the text.
3. Google Bard
In a similar way, we can solve the problem using AI chat from Google – Bard . Recently, this chatbot began to support data input using images. Send a screenshot or picture from the clipboard or file on your computer drive to the chat with Bard. And we ask you to either recognize the text, or immediately translate it into the desired language, or also further interpret the information, supplement it, etc.
Google Bard is more nimble and works faster than Windows Copilot. We can make Bard a web application based on the browser you are using , and pin such an application to the taskbar or to the Start menu. And such an AI bot will be no worse than the AI bot integrated into Windows 11. Moreover, Bard is available in any browser, and, accordingly, in any version of Windows with support for current browsers.
4. Services on the Internet
Friends, in any operating system, whether on a computer or a mobile device, you can recognize text, copy and translate it using visual search services from search engines Google, Yandex, Bing . You can also resort to the services of specialized free services for recognizing text in images. We look for such services in a search engine for something like:
- photo to text for free,
- picture to text for free,
- recognize text for free.
