English OCR
Read printed English from a photo, screenshot, scan or PDF. Upload your file, review the recognised words, then copy the text or download a plain TXT file.
What we accept
LIMITS PER FORMAT
2 FORMATS
JPG / PNG
.jpgMax size
20 MB
Files per job
up to 20
Max size
20 MB
Pages
up to 20 per job
Files per job
1
Getting clean English text
Small habits when you capture the page make the biggest difference.
Flat, straight and well lit
Photograph the page from directly above in even light. Avoid shadows, glare and tilted angles, and keep the whole page in view.
Use the largest version
Text only a few pixels tall is hard to read. Use the original file instead of a shrunken copy sent through a chat app.
Scans: 300 dpi is plenty
For printed pages, 300 dpi works well. If your scanner can save a PDF, upload the PDF as one file.
Already have selectable text?
If you can select words in your PDF viewer, PDF to Text reads that text directly. For pages that behave like pictures, use this page.
What the English text comes back as
Use the result as a starting point for notes, search or editing, and review it against the original.
Words, not page design
The result is plain text. Fonts, pictures and the original page layout are not preserved, and columns or tables may need rearranging.
Your file stays unchanged
The words are extracted into a separate result and your file is not changed. The download menu can also give you a searchable PDF or a Word file.
Printed English only
Handwriting is not supported. Other languages have their own pages, linked from Online OCR.
Why people use this tool
For printed English that you would rather copy than retype.
Images or PDFs
Choose one PDF, or up to 20 JPG and PNG images in one job. Nothing to convert beforehand.
Proofread the output
Compare names, dates, amounts and spelling with your original. Faint print, glare and folds can cause recognition errors.
Copy it or keep a file
Copy the recognised English text straight away, or save it as a TXT file. Paste it into your notes or editor and tidy it there.
Reads photos and scanned pages
Clear printed English gives the reader more to work with. Blur, shadows and tilted pages can cause missed or misread text.
Text grouped by page
Pages stay in order. Within a page, columns, lists and headings may need checking before you reuse the text.
Review before you download
Read the extracted text in the result panel, then copy it or download a TXT file. Compare it with your source when accuracy matters.
How to extract English text with OCR
Four steps, all of them in the browser. Nothing to install and no account — then convert to TXT.
Choose your file
Upload one PDF (up to 20 MB and 20 pages) or up to 20 JPG or PNG images.
Start the conversion
Press convert once the file is added. Processing time depends on the number of pages, quality and server demand.
Review the recognised words
Compare the output with your original, especially names, numbers and text arranged in columns.
Copy or download the text
Copy the result, or download a TXT file within one hour, then correct any mistakes in your own editor.
What the text result includes
The result is plain text grouped by page. Recognition and reading order depend on the source, so review it before use.
In the result
Plain text you can review, copy or download as TXT.
Page sequence
Pages appear in source order. For an image batch, the order of the images becomes the page order.
Text found
The result contains the words the service could read. Check names, numbers and missing words against your source.
Line breaks
Detected text blocks are separated by line breaks in TXT. Paragraph and heading structure can vary with the source.
Warnings
If processing reports a page warning, it appears with the result so you know what to review.
Check before use
Check the source before relying on the result.
Reading order
Columns, lists, headers and footnotes can be read out of order, especially on complex pages.
Layout and images
TXT does not retain fonts, pictures, tables or exact placement. Reformat the text if you need those details.
About plain text
Plain text stores characters and line breaks, not the layout of the original page.
Scanned pages are read with OCR, so proofread names, numbers and small print before you rely on the text.
English OCR questions
Answers to common questions about English OCR.
What kinds of English text does it read?
Printed English: documents, letters, receipts, book pages, forms and screenshots. Clear, well-lit and straight-on files give the best results. Check the output against the original because recognition can make mistakes.
Which files can I upload?
One PDF up to 20 MB and 20 pages, or up to 20 JPG or PNG images per conversion. Convert HEIC photos to JPG or PNG first, and unlock password-protected PDFs before uploading.
Can it read handwriting?
No. This page is for printed English text. Handwriting is not currently supported.
What about other languages?
This page reads English. For other supported languages, see the language pages linked from Online OCR.
What will I get once it finishes?
Plain text you can copy or download as TXT. Fonts, pictures and the original page layout are not preserved, and columns or tables may need rearranging.
Will it make my PDF searchable?
The main download here is plain TXT, and your original file is not changed. A searchable PDF is one click away in the download menu, or use PDF OCR for searchable PDFs.
How long does my file stay on the server?
Results are removed one hour after conversion, and uploads one hour after their last conversion. A cleanup job runs every minute, though an outage can delay it. Privacy explains what technical metadata is kept longer.
Other tools in the set
Same reader, same price, same hour-long retention. Pick the one that matches what you need out the other end.