Image to Text

What this tool does

This reads English text from one photo in this tab. It is slower than the canvas image tools. The first time, this browser downloads the recognition engine and the English language file, about 6.6 MB. Later runs on this browser reuse that download. The result depends on the photo. A readable sign can still come back with wrong letters, and a busy background can add lines that are not text. Blur, glare, and small type make that worse. Check the text before you use it.

How to use

1. Choose one JPG, PNG, or WebP image.
2. Press Read text. The first time, this browser downloads the recognition engine and the English language file.
3. Wait for the text. A large photo is reduced before it is read.
4. Check the text, then copy it if it looks right.

Examples

• A posted sign on a tree

  A real outdoor photo of a printed sign, with bark and leaves around it. The hunting and trespassing lines came back. PRIVATE PROPERTY came back missing letters, and VIOLATORS came back as VIOLKTORS. The largest word, POSTED, did not come back as a clean word, and the bark added extra lines.

Main features

• English text from one photo, in this tab.
• A long side over 1,600 pixels is reduced before reading.
• The recognition files stay on this site. They are not loaded from another host.

How it works

After you press Read text, this tab loads the recognition engine and the English language file from this site. The photo is drawn smaller when its long side is over 1,600 pixels, then the words are read in this tab. The image is not uploaded.

Tips

• A straight, well-lit photo of large type is easier to read than a distant or tilted one.
• Compare the result with the photo. Do not treat a misread word as the original.

Limitations

English only. One image at a time. JPG, PNG, and WebP only, up to 25 MB. The first run downloads about 6.6 MB. Later runs on this browser reuse that download. Reading a photo is slower than the canvas image tools. The result depends on the photo. A readable sign can still come back with wrong letters, and a busy background can add lines that are not text. Blur, glare, and small type make that worse. A long side over 1,600 pixels is reduced before reading.

See the disclaimer for what these tools do not cover.

FAQ

Is the Image to Text tool free?

Yes. You can read English text from one photo here without paying or creating an account.

Is the photo uploaded?

No. The photo is read in this browser tab. Tools Star Hub does not send the image to a server or save it in local storage. The recognition engine and the English language file are loaded from this site.

Why is the first run slow?

The first time, this browser downloads the recognition engine and the English language file, about 6.6 MB. Later runs on this browser reuse that download. Reading the photo is also slower than resizing or compressing an image.

Will a clear photo be read correctly?

Not always. On a real outdoor photo of a printed sign, some lines came back and some letters were wrong. A busy background can add lines that are not text. Blur, glare, and small type make that worse. Check the text before you use it.

Does it read languages other than English?

No. English is the only language file included.

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