How to extract text from an image.

Explore four different methods you can use to extract text from an image with the help of Adobe Acrobat.

Imagine you’re working towards a deadline at work or school, and you need to copy across a quote, data set or other piece of text into your own document. What do you do if the text you need to copy is in an image format?

Rather than wasting time typing up all the information, there’s an easier way to copy this text from the image file. This article will explain how to extract text from an image – with four different options to suit your way of working. Take a look at the methods below and see how you can save time and work more efficiently on your projects.

In this guide:

• Convert your image to text with Adobe Acrobat.
• Use OCR tools to extract text from an image.
• Get text from an image using Google Drive.
• Convert text to image in Microsoft Word.
• Tips for text extraction from an image.
• FAQs.

Convert your image to text with Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat provides the tools you need to convert images to text with ease. All you need to do is convert the image to a PDF using the online PDF converter.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Open the JPG to PDF tool or PNG to PDF tool, depending on the file format of your image.
2. Then, navigate to Select a file and choose the image you’d like to convert. Or just drag and drop it into the outlined box.
3. Finally, download the converted PDF. It’s as simple as that.

In some cases, our convertor will automatically recognise and render the text in the image. If not, you can use an online tool to extract the text from the PDF.

Use OCR tools to extract text from an image.

Another way to extract text from an image is using OCR. Optical character recognition (OCR) makes photo-to-text conversion simple.

You can scan a document on the move and turn it into a PDF that recognises text – whether it’s a snapshot of a book chapter you need to refer to later, a screenshot of a business document or a shop receipt you need to keep track of. Here’s how:

1. First open the Adobe Scan mobile app.
2. Scan the image and wait for it to recognise the text.
3. Edit and extract the text that you need.

Get text from an image using Google Drive.

You can also easily obtain text from an image through Google Drive. Google Drive allows you to convert an image or PDF into a Google Doc. Just follow these steps:

1. Upload the image or PDF into Google Drive.
2. Open the file with Google Docs.
3. Load and convert the file. Be patient – it can take some time if the file is particularly large.
4. Proofread and edit the document to check the formatting is accurate.

Convert text to image in Microsoft Word.

Microsoft Word is another platform you can use to convert image to text, but it does have a few more steps to consider:

1. Copy the image you want to convert into a Word document.
2. Navigate to File and Save As to save the image as a PDF.
3. Then in Word, head to File and Open, and open this PDF.
4. You’ll be prompted with the option to convert to text.

You may find that when you convert your image to a PDF in Word, it automatically opens the new PDF file in a PDF reader. In this case, the text may already be extracted.

Tips for text extraction from an image.

While its simple to extract text from an image with these tools, it’s worth bearing in mind some best practice tips to improve the accuracy. Here are some helpful tips to remember:

1. Use a clear image. You need to make sure that the image you’re using is taken in good lighting, and the text is clearly visible. Keep an eye out for creases or other damage in physical documents that could obstruct a clear view of the text.
2. Select a method that works for you.  The method you use may depend on the file type and size. For instance, if you need to convert a large file, you may decide to convert it to a PDF first so it’s more manageable.
3. Don’t forget to review the text. In some cases you may need to read through and check the digitised text to ensure it’s been accurately converted.
4. Consider reformatting. You may need to reformat the text after it’s been converted, but this will still be significantly quicker than manually typing out the text yourself.

FAQs.

Can you copy text from an image easily?

Yes, extracting copy from text is easier than you may think. Gone are the days of manually typing up pages of information to use. Now programs can recognise text in images and allow you to edit in PDF format.

Why are text extraction tools helpful for students?

Text extraction tools recognise text within image files. The tools are able to read the shapes of letters and reconstruct it into text that you can then select, copy, paste or edit.

This is particularly handy for students at school, college or university who need to type up large quantities of text, or even directly quote elements in academic books or literature. You can pull text directly from images, so you don’t need to waste time typing all your notes manually.

It’s also handy to help collate your sources. You can scan pages from textbooks or passages of information to refer back to and edit later.

When is text extraction useful?

Text extraction comes in handy any time you need to directly copy or edit text you find in a non-digital format. This could be in textbooks, books, newspapers or even handwritten notebooks. Save time by avoiding manually typing notes or long passages from academic texts, or level up your personal admin and keep track of bills and appointments by extracting text from screenshots and receipts.

More help with digital files.

Digitalising images can save you hours of transcribing time. We have other great resources available to help students work more productively:

• Learn how to convert a PDF to a JPEG.
• Learn how to insert an image into a PDF.
• Use the AI assistant to get key takeaways from your documents.
• Find out how to combine PDF files.
• Use OCR technology to recognise text in PDF files.

Ready to get started? Unlock more tools with Acrobat online services.