How to Copy Text From an Image on Windows 11

To copy text from an image on Windows 11, press Windows logo key + Shift + S, capture the area with the text, open the capture in Snipping Tool, select Text actions, and then Copy all text (or highlight just the words you want and copy them). Paste the text with Ctrl+V.

Other options work too: newer versions of Snipping Tool have a Text Extractor that copies text without saving a screenshot, Microsoft PowerToys has a Text Extractor on Win+Shift+T, OneNote can copy text from an inserted picture, and Copilot+ PCs have Click to Do. All of them use optical character recognition (OCR), so always proofread the result.

Method 1: Snipping Tool Text actions

This is built into Windows 11 and works on screenshots, photos and anything else you can show on screen.

1. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S and drag around the text. If the image is a file, open it first so it's on screen.
2. Select the notification that appears to open the capture in Snipping Tool.
3. Select Text actions in the toolbar. Snipping Tool highlights the text it recognized.
4. Select Copy all text, or drag across specific words and copy them with Ctrl+C.
5. Paste with Ctrl+V.

Before copying, you can select Quick redact to hide email addresses and phone numbers in the capture.

If you don't see Text actions, update Snipping Tool from the Microsoft Store. Windows 10's Snipping Tool doesn't have it.

Method 2: Snipping Tool Text Extractor

Recent Snipping Tool versions add a Text Extractor mode to the capture bar, so you can grab text without saving a screenshot.

1. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S.
2. Select the Text Extractor button on the capture bar.
3. Drag over the text, then select Copy all text, or select specific words.

Under More options there are two useful switches: Remove line breaks, which joins wrapped lines into one paragraph, and Automatically copy text, which copies everything in the region as soon as you release the mouse. Microsoft began rolling this out in 2025, so if the button isn't on your capture bar, update Snipping Tool or use Method 1.

Method 3: PowerToys Text Extractor

PowerToys is a free Microsoft utility that also runs on Windows 10.

1. Install PowerToys and make sure Text Extractor is turned on in PowerToys Settings.
2. Press Windows logo key + Shift + T (the default shortcut).
3. Drag over the text on screen. The recognized text is copied to the clipboard when you release the mouse.
4. Press Esc at any time to cancel.

Text Extractor reads text anywhere on screen, including paused video frames. It uses the OCR languages installed in Windows, chosen from your language and keyboard settings; you can pick a different preferred language in its settings. If it reports that no OCR languages are installed, Microsoft's Text Extractor page shows how to add an OCR language pack with PowerShell.

Method 4: OneNote's Copy Text from Picture

OneNote is handy for photos of documents and multi-page printouts.

1. In the OneNote desktop app, insert the picture (Insert > Pictures) or paste it with Ctrl+V.
2. Right-click the picture and select Copy Text from Picture.
3. Paste the text where you need it.

For a printout of several pages, right-click a page image to copy text from that page or from all pages. If the command isn't available yet, wait a moment while OneNote processes the image and try again. This doesn't work in OneNote for the web.

Method 5: Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs

On Copilot+ PCs, Click to Do recognizes text anywhere on screen.

1. Press Windows logo key + Q, or hold the Windows key and click.
2. Select the text you want.
3. Choose Copy.

Click to Do isn't available on other Windows 11 PCs.

Some newer versions of the Photos app can also detect text in an open picture and let you select and copy it. If your Photos app shows a text scanning option, that's another quick route for image files.

Which method to use

How to get accurate results

• Capture tightly. Include only the text you need. Window borders, icons and backgrounds create stray characters.
• Make it bigger first. Zoom the image or page before capturing small text. Higher resolution reads better.
• Prefer straight, high-contrast text. Rotated photos, handwriting and decorative fonts give poor results.
• Proofread numbers and codes. OCR commonly confuses 0 and O, 1 and l, 5 and S, and 8 and B. Check serial numbers, totals and file paths character by character.
• Expect line breaks. OCR keeps the line breaks it sees. Use Remove line breaks in Snipping Tool's Text Extractor, or join lines afterwards.
• Tables come out as text. Columns may become spaces or separate lines. Paste into Excel and use Data > Text to Columns if you need cells.

Keep the original screenshot until you've checked the text, so you can compare if a character looks wrong.

Mind what's in the picture

OCR copies everything it can read, including email addresses, account numbers and one-time codes. Use Quick redact in Snipping Tool before copying, and remember that the copied text goes into clipboard history like any other copy if Win+V history is on. URLs read from a screenshot often carry tracking parameters; how to copy a link without tracking parameters shows how to trim them.

FAQ

Is there a keyboard shortcut to copy text from an image?

Not built into Windows as one key. Win+Shift+S followed by the Text Extractor button is the shortest built-in route. With PowerToys installed, Win+Shift+T goes straight to text capture.

Can I copy text from a video?

Yes. Pause the video, then use Snipping Tool's Text Extractor or PowerToys Text Extractor over the frame.

Can Windows read handwriting?

Poorly. These tools are built for printed text. Microsoft notes that handwritten or script-like text won't work very well in OneNote, and screen OCR has the same weakness.

Related reading

• How to Use Snipping Tool Text Actions (OCR) on Windows 11
• How to Copy Text From a PDF Without Line Breaks
• Can PowerToys Replace a Clipboard Manager?
• Print Screen vs Win+Shift+S vs Snipping Tool (Windows 11)

Sources

• Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots (Microsoft Support) — Text actions, Copy all text and Quick redact.
• Text Extractor in Snipping Tool begins rolling out (Windows Insider Blog) — capture-bar Text Extractor, Remove line breaks and Automatically copy text.
• PowerToys Text Extractor (Microsoft Learn) — Win+Shift+T, OCR languages and accuracy note.
• How to install PowerToys (Microsoft Learn) — runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 2004 or newer.
• Copy text from pictures and file printouts using OCR in OneNote (Microsoft Support) — Copy Text from Picture and printouts.
• Click to Do: do more with what's on your screen (Microsoft Support) — Win+Q or Win+click, the Copy text action and Copilot+ PC requirement.

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