How to extract text from images on Windows 11

On Windows 11, you can extract text from any image file using the “Text Extractor” feature available on PowerToys from Microsoft. The feature will come in handy in many situations. For example, when you need to copy text from a receipt that you may have taken a picture of, information from an important document, or to get the address or phone number of a sign in the background of a picture.

PowerToys is an application that includes a set of utilities to improve the Windows experience. The app is aimed at advanced users, but anyone can use it. For instance, the app includes a window manager to make it easier to create different layouts. It also includes an image resizer, bulk file rename tool, keyboard manager to remap keys, and color picker, and with the release of version 0.62.0, you’ll find a tool that uses OCR technology to extract text from any image format.

This guide will teach you the steps to extract text from any image on Windows 11.

Extract text from images on Windows 11

Once you have PowerToys installed and the “Text Extractor” feature enabled, extracting text from an image is straightforward. Here’s how:

1. Open the image on Windows 11.

   Quick note: You can open the image with any application. You can even extract text from an image embedded on a web page. Also, it doesn’t necessarily have to be an image. You can select any text on the screen.

2. Use the “Windows key + Shift + T” keyboard shortcut.

3. Select the text you want to extract from the images to copy the contents to the clipboard automatically.

   

4. Right-click and select the Paste option on the application you want to paste the extracted text.

The feature isn’t perfect. You can select multiple lines, but try one line at a time if the text extraction isn’t working correctly. Also, select the text correctly without cutting off the letters at the top or bottom.

Install PowerToys

The easiest way to install PowerToys on Windows 11 is using Command Prompt using these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to install the latest version of PowerToys and press Enter:

   winget install --id Microsoft.PowerToys

   

Once you complete the steps, you can enable the feature (if it’s not already enabled.)

Enable Text Extractor

To enable the option to extract text from images on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for PowerToys and click the top result to open the app.

3. Click on Text Extractor.

4. Turn on the “Enable Text Extractor” toggle switch.

   

5. (Optional) Click the edit (pencil) button to change the activation shortcut.

After you complete the steps, you can use the keyboard shortcut to activate the feature and extract text from the image.