Extract text from images in Windows 10 with Photo Scan app

2 min. read

Updated onSeptember 12, 2018

updated onSeptember 12, 2018

Share this article

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

Google has released a newapplicationcalledPhoto Scan, which uses OCR to extracttextout of animage(scanned document or a simple photo with embeddedtext). It would be awesome if Windows 10 would have this feature out of the box, but at least users are able to download Photo Scan for free from theWindows Store.

For starters, we’ll list the key-features of Photo Scan app:

After downloading and installingPhoto Scan, which is a Windows 10 universal app, you will launch it, select animageyou have stored on your PC or mobile device, then wait a few seconds until thetextwill be extracted and showed separately. The good news is that if you get your hands on a document, but there’s noscanneraround and you really need to copy its content, then use the tablet’s camera, scan the material and let theapplicationextract thetext.

Then, you will be able to save the extractedtextto a file with one of the supportedformats:textformat, richformator HTML file. Or, if you want to open anotherapplicationand paste thetextthere, first copy it to the clipboard.

Also, if you click on the Speaker icon on the toolbar, the extractedtextwill be read by the speech feature, and this will be awesome if you’ll forget to take your glasses with you and can’t see the letters on the small screen of the tablet.

Theapplicationruns by default in Dark theme with Link Break enabled intextview, but this can be changed in the Settings page. The annoying thing aboutPhoto Scanis that it comes with ads, so if you no longer wish to see them, you will need to make an in-app purchase.

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low#

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app#

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities#

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount#

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier#

Extract text from images in Windows 10 with Photo Scan app#

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier

Extract text from images in Windows 10 with Photo Scan app