How Can I Extract Text from a Screenshot on Windows? (Step-By-Step Guide)

How Can I Extract Text from a Screenshot on Windows?

Nowadays, with the use of screenshots, everyone can easily capture visual information. You can simply take a screenshot of a webpage, a document, or other types of media and store it on your device. But what if you wanted to extract text materials within the screenshots? You can always manually type them, but thatโ€™ll take a lot of time.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology can significantly help you with this task. In this article, Iโ€™ll explain how to quickly extract text from screenshots on Windows and, of course, tell you the best OCR tool in the market; Metalogic OCR.

What Is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?

Advanced software programs utilize OCR technology to detect texts within visual content such as images and screenshots and then convert the detected information to simple text that can be extracted. For example, suppose you have a bunch of screenshots or images containing text and want to extract them without manually typing them. In that case, you can use software programs that offer OCR capabilities.

A wide range of OCR-capable options are available on Windows; some are built-in, while others are standalone third-party applications that can be useful for text extraction. Each of these options comes with different features and requirements. Iโ€™ll review and compare them in the following sections of this tutorial and tell you why the Metalogic OCR tool is the best pick among the available options.

Ways to Extract Text from Screenshots on Windows:

As I mentioned before, there are many tools and applications that can help you to easily extract text from images. Here are some of the best options available on Windows

Microsoft OneNote (Built-in OCR)

Microsoft OneNote is a default and pre-installed application on Windows 10 and 11, which is equipped with built-in OCR. Follow the easy four steps below to extract texts from images using OneNote:

Microsoft OneNote
  1. Before opening the OneNote app, use the Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch app on Windows to capture your screenshot.
  2. After capturing the screenshot, open Microsoft OneNote and paste the screenshot you just took into a note.
  3. Now, right-click on the screenshot and select โ€œCopy Text from Picture.โ€
  4. Thatโ€™s it! The extracted text is now copied to the clipboard; you can paste it anywhere.

Despite Microsoft OneNote being really useful, it has some obvious limitations. The results might not be so accurate if youโ€™re using complex or low-quality screenshots. Moreover, Microsoft OneNote doesnโ€™t support advanced features like batch-processing.

Google Keep (Web-Based OCR)

Google Keep is a web-based application from Google that can be used for taking notes. If you want to use it for extracting texts from images, follow the steps below:

Google Keep
  • Open your web browser and search for Google Keep.
  • After opening Google Keep, create a new note.
  • Upload your screenshot or image into the note.
  • Now, click on the image and select โ€œGrab Image Text.โ€
  • There you go! The extracted text appears under the uploaded screenshot.

Google Keep is a good option for simple images and offers a minimalistic user interface. However, it requires an internet connection, and the images will be uploaded to Googleโ€™s servers. If youโ€™re handling sensitive information, that might be a deal breaker.

Third-Party OCR Tools

There are plenty of free and paid third-party OCR tools available on Windows. Adobe Acrobat and Tesseract OCR are among the most popular. You can find various OCR tools through a Google search if you want an online alternative. Of course, not all of these tools are the same; some can be hard to use, have varying accuracy, or donโ€™t support specific file formats.

MetaLogic Screen OCR vs Google Keep vs Microsoft OneNote

FeatureMetaLogic Screen OCRGoogle KeepMicrosoft OneNote
Primary PurposeOptical Character Recognition (OCR)Note-taking and task managementNote-taking and organizing
OCR CapabilitiesAdvanced OCR for extracting text from images/screensLimited (handwriting recognition)Good OCR for handwriting and printed text
Platform AvailabilityWindowsWeb, Android, iOSWindows, macOS, Web, Android, iOS
Export OptionsText export, Copy to ClipboardSyncs with Google Docs, Simple SharingRich export options (Word, PDF, Email)
Integration with Other AppsNotable integrations for Windows appsTight integration with Google ecosystemIntegrates with Microsoft Office Suite
User InterfaceMinimalistic and OCR-focusedSimple and intuitiveFeature-rich but complex
Cloud SyncNoYes (Google Drive)Yes (OneDrive)
PricingFree Trial; One-time purchaseFreeFree with optional Office 365 subscription
Annotation ToolsLimited annotation featuresBasic (e.g., colors, tags)Advanced (handwriting, drawing, tags)
Offline FunctionalityFully functional offlineLimited (requires sync for updates)Fully functional offline
Ease of UseEasy to use for OCR tasksBeginner-friendlyMedium learning curve for new users
Advanced FeaturesOCR for scanned PDFs, images, screenshotsChecklist, remindersNotebooks, sections, and rich formatting
Languages SupportedOver 120 languagesOver 50 languagesOver 60 languages

Why Is the Metalogic Screen OCR Tool the Best Choice?

If youโ€™re looking for the best option to extract text from your screenshots, look no further; Metalogic OCR is a reliable and easy-to-use tool that offers accurate and satisfying results. Donโ€™t take my word for it! Just take a look at the comparison table and find out for yourself. Metalogic Screen OCR has many fantastic features, including a user-friendly interface, support for almost any type of image format, and, of course, offline functionality. Letโ€™s take a better look at these features.

MetaLogic Screen OCR Support for Chinese/ Japanese And Korean Languages

User-Friendly Interface

Metalogic OCR offers a really simple and straightforward user interface that focuses on ease of use. It doesnโ€™t matter what level of skills you have; you can extract texts from images with a few simple clicks. All you need to do is upload your screenshot, extract the text, and copy/paste it anywhere you want.

Accurate Text Extraction

OCR technology isnโ€™t always accurate and needs to be polished and updated by the software programs utilizing it. Metalogic OCR does this fantastically, as it produces consistent, accurate results. This tool is capable of recognizing different aspects of texts, including various fonts, sizes, and multilingual information.

Offline Functionality

As mentioned, many OCR tools are online and require an internet connection. The Metalogic OCR tool can function fully offline, which is a big advantage compared to other OCR-capable tools. If you have a poor internet connection or are handling sensitive information, you can safely rely on Metalogic Screen OCR.

Easy Use

Working with the Metalogic OCR application is simple and hassle-free. Once the application is installed on your Windows, it will automatically run every time you turn on your computer. Hereโ€™s a helpful tip for instant text extraction: use the keyboard shortcut โ€œCtrl+Shift+Rโ€ to enter the capture mode, then use your mouse to select your desired area for text extraction.

Batch Processing

Many users who rely on OCR-capable tools want to process several images at once and extract text collectively. Metalogic OCR has got you covered! This handy tool offers fantastic batch-processing options for users who wish to extract texts from multiple screenshots with just a few clicks. Batch processing allows you to save a great amount of time and effort.

Multilingual Support

Metalogic OCR supports over 120 languages, making it a perfect tool for users who work with different languages and require multilingual text extraction.

Copy Text Directly

Suppose you want to copy and paste the extracted texts into other applications. In that case, itโ€™s really simple, as Metalogic Screen OCR supports it without limitations.

Free Trial and Affordable Pricing

Metalogic Screen OCR app comes with a free trial version that lets you try its amazing features before committing to a complete purchase. Itโ€™s worth mentioning that the pricing is also very reasonable.

How to Use Metalogic Screen OCR to Extract Text from a Screenshot on Windows?

Using Metalogic Screen OCR to extract text from screenshots and images is really simple; all you have to do is follow the quick steps below:

Steps:

1. Capture the Screenshot

First, download and install the Metalogic Screen OCR app. After installing, it will automatically run every time you turn on your computer.

Metalogic Screen OCR always running in background

2. Open Metalogic Screen OCR

This is really simple. Just use the keyboard shortcut โ€œCtrl+Shift+Rโ€ to enter the capture mode, then use your mouse to select the area of the screen you want captured.

Use MetaLogic Screen OCR's hot key to start capturing

3. Extract the Text

After selecting the desired area, release the mouse button and let Metalogic Screen OCR do its magic! The extracted text will be displayed in a text box.

After capture, MetaLogic Screen OCR will process your image

4. Copy the Text

Highlight the extracted text and copy it to the clipboard. Now, you can paste the text anywhere you want.

Now you can copy the extracted text

Conclusion

With the right tools, you can quickly extract text from screenshots on Windows. The Metalogic Screen OCR app is one of the best OCR-capable tools out there. It offers fantastic options to users, including a user-friendly interface, offline functionality, batch processing, and multilingual support. If youโ€™re looking for a reliable and useful OCR tool, Metalogic Screen OCR is the right choice.

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