In today’s digital age, converting graphics to text on a PC has become a common necessity for many, from students, maybe you, and others. Whether it is extracting text from an image of a document, a screenshot, a sign, or even handwritten notes. The ability to convert any graphic, that contains text, into editable text can save a significant amount of time and effort. Today, I will explore a couple of methods and tools that can help you convert graphics to text on a Windows computer, including free online tools.
First, there are many ways, online, offline, through smartphones, apps, computers, tablets, etc. If you have found the way you like to convert images with text to usable, i.e., the words can be copied and then pasted to another document, to be used however you wish. Be mindful of copyright laws when using the text. I have a couple of suggested apps. And did I mention that my favorite method is free?
The first one that I have used it Image To Text, (ImageToText.io) is a free online service that allows you to extract text from images using OCR technology (Optical Character Recognition). It supports various image formats such as JPG, PNG, and GIF. Users can simply upload their image, and the tool converts it into editable text, which can be downloaded or copied to the clipboard.
PrePostSEO (prepostseo.com/image-to-text) is another that offers a handy image to text converter that supports a wide range of image formats and languages. It is particularly useful for extracting text from low-resolution and blurry images, making it ideal for students and professionals who need to convert notes or book pages into digital text. PrePostSEO has other features you may want to take advantage of as well. There may be fees for those.
But now onto my favorite which I use often. To convert graphics to text on a PC or your smartphone, Google Keep is an excellent accurate tool that can be used to extract text from images using its version of OCR. This method is particularly useful for converting handwritten notes, meeting minutes, or other graphical documents into editable text. Keep in mind you must have a free Google account (myaccount.google.com). This will also work on your phone with a Google account, though the process is slightly different.
On a computer you need to open the Google Keep site, (keep.google.com). On your smartphone you may download it from the Google Play Store (play.google.com/store, for Android) or Apple App Store (apple.com/app-store, for iPhone).
Now, on a computer, tap the image icon at the top of the screen to import the image containing the text you want to extract, which you previously took. You may also take a picture from the app on your phone and use that as well. Tap the image to make it full screen, see below.
Next, click on the three dots at the bottom of the image and select “Grab image text.” The text from the image will be displayed below the picture. If the text needs to be edited, which is usually rare for me, tap on the text and change it as needed. When you are satisfied with the edited version, tap the three dots at the bottom right and select “Send” to copy the text to Google Docs or send it via other apps like email, text or any other choices given to you.
Watch this demonstration of how easy it is to “grab” the text from a graphic with Google Keep.
Converting graphics to text on a PC doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right tools and methods, you can easily transform any image into editable text, enhancing your productivity, and efficiency. No matter how you choose to convert your images to text, the options are plentiful and cater to various needs and preferences. By leveraging these tools, you can streamline your workflow and focus more on your core tasks.
Being a Google user, Google Keep works great for me. It also offers many other features that I have not mentioned here.
