Windows 11 offers several built-in and add-on tools that make extracting text from images a breeze. Whether you’re dealing with screenshots, photos, or any other image format, these methods will help you quickly convert visual text into editable content. Let’s explore four effective ways to perform optical character recognition (OCR) on Windows 11.
Using the Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool, a long-standing Windows utility, now includes OCR capabilities in Windows 11. This method is ideal for quickly extracting text from on-screen content.
Step 1: Press Windows key + Shift + S to open the Snipping Tool.
Step 2: Select the area containing the text you want to extract.
Step 3: In the Snipping Tool editor that appears, click on the “Text actions” button in the toolbar.
Step 4: Choose “Copy all text” to extract all detected text, or select specific text and use the “Copy text” option.
Step 5: Paste the extracted text into your desired application.
The Snipping Tool also offers a redaction feature, allowing you to hide sensitive information before sharing screenshots.
Extracting Text with the Photos App
Windows 11’s Photos app now includes OCR functionality, making it easy to extract text from image files stored on your computer.
Step 1: Open the image in the Photos app.
Step 2: Look for the “Scan text” button at the bottom of the window.
Step 3: Click the button to activate text recognition.
Step 4: Select the text you want to extract, right-click, and choose “Copy text” or “Select all text.”
Step 5: Paste the copied text into your preferred application.
This method works well for extracting text from photos, scanned documents, or any image file compatible with the Photos app.
Using PowerToys Text Extractor
PowerToys, a set of utilities for Windows power users, includes a Text Extractor tool that can capture text from any on-screen content.
Step 1: Install PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or GitHub.
Step 2: Open PowerToys and enable the Text Extractor feature in the settings.
Step 3: With your desired image or screen content visible, press Windows key + Shift + T to activate Text Extractor.
Step 4: Click and drag to select the area containing the text you want to extract.
Step 5: The selected text is automatically copied to your clipboard. Paste it into your desired application.
PowerToys Text Extractor is particularly useful for extracting text from images embedded in web pages or applications where you can’t easily save the image file.
Leveraging Windows 11’s OCR API
For developers or more advanced users, Windows 11 provides an OCR API that can be integrated into custom applications or scripts.
Step 1: Install the necessary OCR language packs for Windows 11.
Step 2: Use the Windows.Media.Ocr namespace in your C# or C++ application.
Step 3: Load the image file into a SoftwareBitmap object.
Step 4: Create an OcrEngine instance for the desired language.
Step 5: Use the RecognizeAsync method to perform OCR on the image.
Here’s a basic C# code snippet demonstrating the use of the OCR API:
using Windows.Media.Ocr;
using Windows.Graphics.Imaging;
// Load the image file
SoftwareBitmap bitmap = // Load your image here
// Create the OCR engine
OcrEngine ocrEngine = OcrEngine.TryCreateFromLanguage(new Windows.Globalization.Language("en-US"));
// Perform OCR
OcrResult ocrResult = await ocrEngine.RecognizeAsync(bitmap);
// Extract the text
string extractedText = ocrResult.Text;
This method provides the most flexibility and can be integrated into larger workflows or batch processing systems.
Each of these methods has its strengths, and the best choice depends on your specific needs. The Snipping Tool and Photos app offer quick, user-friendly solutions for occasional text extraction. PowerToys Text Extractor provides a more versatile option for frequent use across different applications. For developers, the Windows OCR API opens up possibilities for custom OCR solutions tailored to specific requirements.
Remember that OCR technology, while powerful, isn’t perfect. Factors like image quality, font styles, and background complexity can affect accuracy. For best results, ensure your images are clear and well-lit, with good contrast between the text and background.