How do I copy text from a screenshot for free?

The fastest free method: go to imagetotext.click, upload your screenshot, and click Extract Text. The AI reads every character and returns editable text in seconds. No signup, no software install.

Can Windows copy text from screenshots?

Yes. Windows 11 includes PowerToys Text Extractor (Win+Shift+T) which lets you draw a box around any text on screen and copies it to the clipboard instantly. On Windows 10, use the Snipping Tool and then paste the screenshot into imagetotext.click.

How do I extract text from a screenshot on iPhone?

On iPhone with iOS 15 or later, open the screenshot in Photos and tap the Live Text button (the rectangle with lines) in the bottom right. You can then select and copy the text directly. For older iOS versions, use imagetotext.click in Safari.

Why is my screenshot text not being recognized?

Low resolution and heavy JPEG compression are the most common causes. Try taking the screenshot at a higher zoom level, or use PNG format instead of JPG. For screenshots with dark backgrounds, increase the contrast before uploading.

Screenshot to Text: Copy Any Text from a Screenshot (Free)

Quick Answer

To extract text from a screenshot: upload it to imagetotext.click → click Extract Text → copy the result. Works on any screenshot format (PNG, JPG, WebP). Free, no signup. On Windows 11, PowerToys Text Extractor (Win+Shift+T) lets you draw over any screen area and copy text instantly.

Screenshots are perfect for capturing information quickly, but they're basically useless when you actually need to use the text inside them. Maybe it's an error message you can't copy-paste, a WhatsApp conversation you need to quote, or a recipe someone sent as an image. I've dealt with this more times than I can count. The good news? There are five solid methods to extract that text, and they're all free.

Try Image to Text for free

Method 1: imagetotext.click (Works on Any Device)

Upload any screenshot to imagetotext.click and the AI pulls out all the text in about 3–5 seconds. It handles screenshots from basically any device — Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, even game captures. The text you get is fully editable and copyable. You get up to 10 screenshots per day without signing in, which honestly covers most people's needs. I find this works really well for quick extractions.

1Go to imagetotext.click and click 'Upload Image'.
2Select your screenshot file (PNG, JPG, or WebP).
3Click 'Extract Text' and wait 3–5 seconds.
4Select all text and copy it to your clipboard.

Method 2: Windows 11 PowerToys Text Extractor

Microsoft PowerToys has a built-in text extractor that's genuinely useful. What I like most: it works on anything visible on your screen, not just saved screenshots. Press Win+Shift+T, drag a rectangle around the text you need, and boom — it's copied to your clipboard. That's it. You can grab PowerToys free from the Microsoft Store. Super handy if you're already on Windows.

Method 3: iPhone Live Text (iOS 15+)

Apple's Live Text feature reads text straight from images in the Photos app. Open a screenshot, tap the Live Text icon in the bottom right, then long-press and drag to select what you need. Tap Copy. The nice thing is it works offline and handles most fonts pretty accurately. And it's not limited to Photos — Live Text also works in the camera app, Safari, and Quick Look. If you're already in the Apple ecosystem, this is probably your easiest option.

Method 4: Google Lens (Android + Chrome)

On Android, open a screenshot in Google Photos and tap the Google Lens icon. Tap 'Select text', highlight what you want, and copy it. But here's something useful most people don't know: in Chrome on any platform, you can right-click any image and choose 'Search image with Google Lens', then switch to the Text tab to copy everything. Works surprisingly well, especially for screenshots with mixed content like charts or receipts.

Method 5: Google Drive OCR (Free, No Software)

Here's a method that flies under the radar: upload your screenshot to Google Drive, right-click the file, and select 'Open with → Google Docs'. Google will automatically OCR the image and create a Doc with the extracted text sitting below it. This is especially handy for long screenshots with multiple paragraphs — saves you from retyping everything. The accuracy isn't always perfect, but it beats manual transcription by a mile. I use this one when I've got a particularly long screenshot to deal with.

For repeated screenshot-to-text tasks, imagetotext.click processes images the fastest and handles the widest variety of screenshot types, including dark mode interfaces and screenshots with mixed fonts.

Tips for Better Screenshot Text Recognition

Take screenshots at 100% zoom or higher — zooming in increases character size and OCR accuracy.
Use PNG format instead of JPG — PNG has no compression artifacts that blur text edges.
Crop to only the text area before uploading — removing non-text areas speeds up processing.
Increase screen brightness for dark-mode screenshots before capturing.
For multi-column text, crop each column separately for the most accurate result.