A Simple Way to Extract Text From Image And Printouts
There are times when you want to extract text from images. For instance —
Extracting text from an image is done with an OCR software (short for optical character recognizer). The program takes an image file (like jpg) as input and returns text (that was present in it) as output.
While there is no shortage of OCR apps forWindowsandAndroidsmartphones andeven a chrome extension.But, if you are looking for something that is quick, free, works on every device, and of course, highly accurate, then look no further than –Google Keeps.
If you not already know, Google Keep has a built-in OCR reader and it’s pretty good. But unfortunately, not many people are aware of this. Although, it’s better than all its competitors.
While I was looking for good OCR reader, I tried all the popular options like – CamScanner, Evernote, Text Fairy Android app, Onenote, OnlineOCR, Project Naptha Chrome extension etc. However, surprisingly, I got best results from Google Keep.
This is funny, not only because a free app is working better than its paid alternative but also because the OCR feature in Google keep is just a side product. However, to use Google Keep for extracting text out of the image, you need internet access since the image processing is done on the Google server. So let’s see how to do it.
Extract Text From Images
For computer
If the image is on your computer, then open theweb versionof Google Keep. Upload your image as a note, click on three vertical dots below your image and selectgrab image textoption. And within a few seconds, it’ll automatically fill the text in the body of the current note.
For smartphone
Install Google Keep the app fromGoogle PlayorApp storeif it’s not already there. Next, open the app and create a new note by tapping on the camera button. Now, you have two options, you can either take a picture of a document or select an image from your device memory.
Choose any one of that, and once the image is uploaded, tap on three vertical dots, and tap ongrab images textoption. And there you go, the screen will load for a few seconds, and the image’s text will magically appear in the body of the note.
After testing many popular OCR readers, I found Google keep gives the best result. Also, it’s free and available for both desktop & smartphones. So go ahead and start using it, not just for its OCR, but also because its note-taking feature is remarkable.
Also Read:Best OCR Apps for iPhone to Scan Images to Text
Mrinal Saha
Mrinal is a tech geek who spends half of his day reading and writing about tech. While the nights are spent on shooting or editing YouTube videos. Feel free to geek out with him on-
