A screenshot text extractor uses optical character recognition (OCR) to read text from screenshots and images. Instead of manually retyping text you see on screen, paste your screenshot directly into this tool and get all the text in seconds — completely in your browser, with no uploads.
Paste or Upload Screenshot
Paste a screenshot
Ctrl+V / Cmd+V
or drop an image here
Supports JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF — your images never leave your browser
Screenshot
Extracting Text...
Extracted Text
How to Extract Text from Screenshots
This screenshot text extractor solves a common frustration: you can see text on screen but can't select or copy it — in a screenshot, error message, image, or locked PDF. Using Tesseract.js, it reads the text from any image entirely in your browser, with no upload, no account, and no waiting.
The Fastest Way: Paste a Screenshot
Take a screenshot of any text on your screen, then press Ctrl+V (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+V (Mac) anywhere on this page. The screenshot is automatically detected and OCR starts immediately — no button click needed. On Windows, use Win+Shift+S to capture a region and copy to clipboard. On Mac, use Cmd+Shift+4 to select a region.
Alternative: Upload an Image
If you have a saved screenshot or image file on your computer, click "Upload Image File" to select it. This works with JPEG, PNG, WebP, and GIF files. Drag-and-drop onto the paste zone also works for uploaded files.
First Use: OCR Engine Download
On first use, the tool downloads ~6MB of Tesseract.js language data. This happens once and is cached by your browser — subsequent uses start instantly. The download contains the English OCR language model and recognition engine. All processing happens locally using WebAssembly; your screenshots never leave your device.
Copy or Download the Result
Once OCR completes, the extracted text appears in the results box. You can edit it directly in the text area. Use "Copy Text" to copy to clipboard for pasting into any document or app. "Download .txt" saves the result as a plain text file. You can then paste another screenshot to start fresh.
What This Tool Works Best For
This screenshot text extractor excels at extracting text from: error messages and dialog boxes, website screenshots, locked or image-based PDFs, photos of printed documents, social media posts saved as images, and subtitles from video screenshots. For handwritten notes or physical document photos, see our Handwriting to Text Converter which includes image enhancement options.
FAQ
How do I paste a screenshot to extract text?
Take a screenshot using your OS shortcut (Windows: Win+Shift+S or PrtSc; Mac: Cmd+Shift+4; Linux: varies). Then paste directly into this tool with Ctrl+V (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+V (Mac). The tool automatically detects the pasted image and starts OCR immediately.
What types of screenshots work best?
Any screenshot with clear, readable text works well. This includes screenshots of websites, documents, PDFs, emails, chat messages, and error windows. Higher resolution screenshots produce better accuracy. Blurry, scaled-down, or heavily compressed screenshots may reduce accuracy.
How accurate is the text extraction?
For clean screenshots of digital text (websites, documents, code), accuracy is typically 95-99%. The OCR engine reads printed/digital fonts very accurately. Handwritten text, artistic fonts, or text embedded in complex backgrounds may have lower accuracy.
Why does it download data on first use?
The tool uses Tesseract.js, which downloads about 6MB of language model data on first use. This is cached by your browser — subsequent uses are instant. All processing happens entirely in your browser; your screenshots never leave your device.
Can I upload an image instead of pasting?
Yes — while clipboard paste is the primary input method (just press Ctrl+V), you can also click 'Upload Image' to select an image file from your computer. Both methods produce identical results.
Is my screenshot data private?
Completely private. The tool processes everything locally in your browser using WebAssembly. Your screenshots are never uploaded to any server. There is no data collection, no logging, and no server involved at any point.
Can I extract text from a photo of a document?
Yes — upload or paste any image containing text. For photos of physical documents, a higher quality capture gives better results. For handwritten text specifically, consider using the Handwriting to Text Converter tool, which includes image enhancement options designed for handwriting.