Screenshot to Text Converter

Paste or upload any screenshot and get clean, copy-paste text back in seconds. Our free screenshot to text converter uses AI-powered OCR to extract words from screen captures, chat screenshots, UI elements and more - no sign up, no install, works on any device.

1 credit per use

Extracted text

Your extracted text will appear here. Paste a screenshot with Ctrl + V or upload one on the left.

What is a screenshot to text converter?

A screenshot to text converter reads the words inside a screen capture and turns them into real, editable text you can copy, paste and search. It uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) powered by AI, so the text in your screenshots - whether it's a chat message, a code snippet, an error dialog or a webpage - becomes plain text you can actually work with.

Toolknot's screenshot to text tool works entirely online and free. Take a screenshot with your system shortcut (Win+Shift+S, Cmd+Shift+4, PrtSc), paste it directly into the tool with Ctrl+V, and get extracted text in seconds. No browser extension needed, no app to install, no account to create.

Your screenshot is sent securely to our AI for text extraction and isn't stored afterwards. Once the text is returned to you, the image is discarded. It's the fastest way to copy text from any screenshot on Windows, Mac or Linux.

How to copy text from a screenshot

Extract text from any screenshot in three quick steps - no software download required.

1
Take or paste your screenshot
Take a screenshot using your system shortcut (Win+Shift+S, Cmd+Shift+4, or PrtSc), then paste it with Ctrl/Cmd + V. You can also drag and drop a saved screenshot file or click to browse.
2
AI extracts the text
Our AI-powered OCR scans your screenshot and recognises all readable text - UI labels, chat messages, code, error messages, paragraphs - preserving the original layout and reading order.
3
Copy or download the text
Review the extracted text, copy it to your clipboard with one click, or download it as a .txt file. Paste it into any document, email, chat or code editor.

Why use this screenshot to text tool

Paste screenshots directly

Take a screenshot and paste it straight in with Ctrl/Cmd + V. No need to save a file first - the fastest way to extract text from your screen.

Completely free & no sign up

Convert as many screenshots to text as you need. Free to use online with no account required and no daily limits.

Works on Windows, Mac & Linux

Use it on any operating system with any modern browser. Compatible with screenshots from Windows Snipping Tool, macOS Screenshot, Flameshot and more.

Your screenshots stay private

Screenshots are processed securely to extract the text and then discarded. We don't store your screen captures on our servers.

AI-powered accuracy

Modern AI recognition handles low-contrast UI text, small fonts, dark mode screenshots and dense text far better than traditional OCR.

Keeps the layout

Line breaks and reading order are preserved as closely as possible, so lists, code blocks and paragraphs stay readable after extraction.

No browser extension needed

Unlike Chrome extensions or browser add-ons, this works right in your browser tab. No installation, no permissions, no extension conflicts.

100+ languages supported

Extracts text from screenshots in English, Hindi, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish, French, German and many more languages.

Download as .txt

Save the extracted text as a .txt file with one click. Useful for archiving, sharing or importing into other applications.

What you can use it for

Copy text from chat screenshots

Got a screenshot of a WhatsApp, Discord, Slack or iMessage conversation? Extract the text so you can quote it, search it or save it.

Extract error messages & logs

Screenshot an error dialog, terminal output or log file and turn it into text you can paste into Stack Overflow, a bug report or ChatGPT.

Copy code from screenshots

See code in a tutorial screenshot or video still? Extract it as text so you can paste it directly into your editor instead of retyping.

Digitize printed documents

Screenshot a PDF, book page or scanned document displayed on screen and get the text out for notes, citations or translation.

Grab text from protected pages

When a website or app blocks text selection, take a screenshot and extract the text here. Useful for research and note-taking.

Translate text from screenshots

Extract foreign-language text from a screenshot, then paste it into Google Translate or DeepL. Perfect for screenshots of foreign UI, signs or menus.

Save social media posts

Screenshot tweets, Instagram posts or Reddit comments and extract the text for archiving, quoting or referencing in your own content.

Accessibility

Convert screenshot text into real, screen-reader-friendly text. Helpful for people who receive information as images rather than text.

Supported screenshot formats

Works with all common screenshot and image formats:

PNG (default screenshot format on most systems)
JPG / JPEG
WEBP
Clipboard paste (Ctrl/Cmd + V)
Screenshots from Windows Snipping Tool
Screenshots from macOS Screenshot utility
Screenshots from Linux tools (Flameshot, Spectacle, GNOME Screenshot)

Screenshot to text vs browser extensions

Why use an online tool instead of a Chrome extension or desktop app?

No installation required

Works instantly in your browser. No extension to install, no app to download, no permissions to grant.

Works across all browsers

Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Brave - any modern browser works. Extensions lock you into one browser.

No privacy concerns

Extensions have access to your browsing data. This tool only processes what you explicitly upload or paste.

Always up to date

Uses the latest AI model server-side. No extension updates to manage or compatibility issues to debug.

Works on mobile too

Use it on your phone or tablet. Most screenshot-to-text extensions are desktop-only.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Converting screenshots to text is completely free and unlimited. No sign up, no account, no hidden limits.

Take a screenshot with your system shortcut, paste it here with Ctrl/Cmd + V (or upload the file), and the AI will extract the text in seconds. Copy it with one click.

Yes. Press Ctrl/Cmd + V to paste a screenshot from your clipboard. You don't need to save it as a file first.

Yes. Screenshots from Windows Snipping Tool, Snip & Sketch, and Win+Shift+S are fully supported. Just paste or upload them.

Yes. Screenshots taken with Cmd+Shift+3, Cmd+Shift+4 or Cmd+Shift+5 on macOS work perfectly. Paste them directly or upload the file.

No. This tool works right in your browser without any extension. It's faster and more private than installing a browser add-on.

Yes. The AI handles dark mode, light mode, high-contrast and low-contrast screenshots equally well.

Over 100 languages and scripts, including English, Hindi, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish, French, German and Russian.

Your screenshot is sent securely to our AI to extract the text and isn't stored afterwards. Once the text is returned, the screenshot is discarded.

Yes. You can copy the text to your clipboard or download it as a .txt file with one click.

Screenshots up to 10MB are supported. Most screenshots are well under 5MB, so this covers virtually all screen captures.

Yes. If a website blocks text selection, take a screenshot and paste it here to extract the text. This works for any visible text on screen.