Converting images to text (OCR) is essential for digitizing documents, extracting data from screenshots, and making scanned content searchable. This guide covers everything you need to know.

What is Image to Text Conversion?

Image to text conversion uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to extract readable text from images, photos, screenshots, and scanned documents. Modern AI-powered OCR can recognize text in 100+ languages with 99%+ accuracy.

How to Convert Image to Text (3 Steps)

Step 1: Upload Your Image
Choose an image file (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP) or PDF document. Most OCR tools support files up to 20MB.
Step 2: OCR Processing
The OCR engine analyzes the image, detects text regions, and converts characters to digital text. This typically takes 2-5 seconds.
Step 3: Copy or Download Text
Once processing is complete, copy the extracted text to your clipboard or download it as a TXT file.

Quick Answer:

To convert an image to text: 1) Upload your image to an OCR tool like FastOCR, 2) Wait 2-5 seconds for processing, 3) Copy the extracted text. No registration required.

Best Free OCR Tools

FastOCR - Free, supports 100+ languages, no registration
Google Drive OCR - Built into Google Docs, good for PDFs
Microsoft OneNote - Desktop OCR for Windows users

Tips for Better OCR Accuracy

✓ Use high-resolution images (300 DPI or higher)
✓ Ensure good lighting and contrast
✓ Avoid blurry or skewed images
✓ Use clear, readable fonts
✓ Remove background noise

Common Use Cases

Image to text conversion is useful for:

Digitizing printed documents and books
Extracting text from screenshots
Converting business cards to contacts
Making scanned PDFs searchable
Translating text from photos

Ready to Convert Your Images?

Try FastOCR Free →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is image to text conversion free?

Yes, many OCR tools like FastOCR offer free image to text conversion with no registration required.

What image formats are supported?

Most OCR tools support JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP images and PDF documents.

Can OCR recognize handwriting?

Modern AI-powered OCR can recognize clear handwriting, though printed text typically has higher accuracy.

How to Convert Image to Text: Complete Guide 2025