On Smartphones iOS and Android most modern smartphones have built in features for this:
Google Lens Android and iOS Open the image in your Photos app and tap the Lens icon. Google Lens will analyze the image and provide an option to select and copy the text.
Apple Live Text iOS On iPhones running iOS 15 or later, open an image in the Photos app or point your camera at text. A small text scan icon will appear tapping it highlights the text which you can then copy, translate or search.
Microsoft Lens or Adobe Scan iOS and Android Apps These dedicated apps offer advanced scanning and OCR features often allowing you to capture text from physical documents with your camera and save it as an editable file or PDF.
On Desktop Windows and Mac
Windows 11 Snipping Tool Take a screenshot using the Snipping Tool. Within the tool, select the “Text actions” option to analyze and copy all identified text.
Microsoft OneNote Insert the image into a OneNote page. Right-click the image and select “Copy Text from Picture.
Google Docs Upload your image file to Google Drive. Right-click the file, select “Open with” > “Google Docs. Google Docs will create a new document with the original image and the extracted, editable text below it.
Dedicated Software For professional or high volume use software like Adobe Acrobat Pro or ABBYY FineReader offers high accuracy and advanced features.
Online Tools
Many free, web-based tools use OCR to extract text without requiring any software installation:
Websites Sites like Imagetotext.online, OCR.best or imagetotext.info allow you to upload an image JPG, PNG, TIFF, etc. and receive the extracted text, which you can then copy or download.
Image Quality Ensure the photo is clear, well-lit, and not blurry.
Contrast and Alignment: High contrast dark text on a light background) and proper horizontal alignment improve accuracy.
Proofread OCR is highly accurate but not perfect; always proofread the extracted text for any errors, especially with complex fonts or handwriting.
Magic Eraser and Object Removal
What it does Removes unwanted people or objects from photos automatically.
How to use
In Google Photos → Edit → Tools → Magic Eraser or Object Eraser on Samsung.
Benefit: Cleans up messy photos instantly — no Photoshop needed.
Secure Photo Vault and Locked Folder
What it does
Hides sensitive photos behind a passcode or fingerprint.
How to use
Google Photos: Library → Utilities → Locked Folder.
Samsung: My Files → Secure Folder.
Benefit: Keeps private photos truly private, even from gallery apps.
Night Mode and Astro Mode Hidden Pro Controls
What it does
Lets you capture amazing low-light or night-sky shots manually.
How to use
Open Camera → Pro Mode or Night Mode → Adjust exposure manually.
On Pixels: Point at the sky → wait for Astrophotography mode to auto-enable.
Benefit: Produces DSLR-level low-light and star photos with just your phone.
