A great tool for extracting text from an image or PDF file

Last updated on 29 January 2024

Do you remember when you spent an infinite amount of time copying the text in a photo or PDF so you could edit it?

This time is now over thanks to small digital tools that will take care of extracting the text for you with real precision. These apps include OCR functions to allow you to retrieve any text that appears on your screen. Whether it is an eBook, a photo, an image or a pdf file, you will be able to retrieve the text instantly and very simply so that you can edit it as you see fit.

If you are on Mac, I advise you to take a look at TextSniper, which is a very effective assistant. There is no real equivalent on Windows, but there is no shortage of solutions. We'll see in detail.

TextSniper. Extract text from images and other digital documents in seconds

TextSniper is a kind of Scanner with OCR directly integrated into your Mac screen. A great tool that will allow you to extract text from an image or any other digital file displayed on the screen with a click. In use it is ultra-practical and will save you a lot of time to be able to retrieve editable text from any file.

TextSniper makes it possible to extract text from an image like these other three Free OCR Tools presented here a few weeks ago. But it does much better, much more. I suggest you find out. This application has only one small flaw, it has been said, it only works on Mac computers.

Make your Mac screen a scanner to extract text from a file

This magical little application makes it possible toextract text from anywhere. How many times have you tried to paste text from a PDF file, presentation or image before you realised that this was not possible.

With TextSnipper, if the text appears on your screen, you will be able to scan it and retrieve it in two clicks. You will be able to instantly capture non-selectable text in YouTube videos, PDFs, images, online courses, screencasts, presentations, web pages, video tutorials, photos, etc.

Once installed, the application is very easy to use. It is as simple as taking a screenshot with your mouse.

From a keyboard shortcut that you will define, the selection tool appears on the screen. Select the part of the screen that contains the text you want to retrieve and validate. The text within the selection is recognised and copied in the clipboard. Open a word processor or note and paste the contents of the clipboard. The text is there. The quality of the OCR is excellent. Magical.

Another interesting option, TextSnipper also knows how to read aloud the text you are going to recover. The app can make your Mac read text from an image. An interesting addition for foreign language learners or people who have difficulty reading text on screen.

The TextSnipper app is not free, but the cost remains reasonable. Slightly less than 8 EUR. This is not a subscription, but a purchase once and for all. If you are not satisfied, you have seven days to be reimbursed.

How to extract text from screenshots, images or PDF on Windows

If you are on Windows, you have a lot of solutions available to you. To extract text from an image on a PC, several tools are available. Here is a short list, far from exhaustive:

1. Microsoft PowerToys : It is a set of utilities for advanced users to adjust and optimize their Windows experience. It includes a tool called ‘Text Extractor’ which makes it possible to extract text from images. After installing the PowerToys on your PC, you can activate the Text Extractor and open any image containing text that you want to extract.
2. OneNote : Microsoft OneNote supports optical character recognition (OCR), a tool that allows you to copy text from an image or file print and paste it elsewhere in OneNote or another program, such as Outlook or Word.
3. FreeOCR : Here is a free software who can retrieve text from the image of a printed text, but also from a scanned sheet and even a PDF document. The software recognizes most characters and words, and you can retrieve your text in your word processor, like Word or OpenOffice.
4. Snagit : Snagit is a screenshot tool This can also be used to extract text from images. You can select the part of your screen that contains the text, and Snagit displays it in a new window.
5. Adobe Acrobat Pro : This is another serious and reliable solution. Adobe’s software also offers OCR functionality for extracting text from images.

In addition, consult here the list of the most useful free apps for your mobile device that can be used to scan paper documents.