If someone sends you a photo of a printed page, a screenshot of a table, or a scanned letter, retyping it by hand is slow and error-prone. Microsoft Word can turn many images into editable text using a built-in conversion feature, and Windows and Microsoft 365 include a few other tools that do the same job. This process is called optical character recognition (OCR).
Below are the most reliable methods, starting with the Word-only approach.
Method 1: Convert an Image to Text Using Word’s PDF Conversion
Word can’t open image files directly, but it can open PDFs and convert them to editable documents. The trick is to put the image into a PDF first.
Step 1: Insert the image into a blank document
Open a new Word document and go to Insert > Pictures > This Device, then choose your image. You can also copy the image and press Ctrl + V to paste it.
Step 2: Save the document as a PDF
Go to File > Save As, choose a location, set Save as type to PDF, and click Save. Close the document.
Step 3: Open the PDF in Word
In Word, go to File > Open and select the PDF you just saved. Word displays a message that it will convert the PDF into an editable Word document. Click OK.
Step 4: Check and fix the text
Word recognizes the text and places it in the document. Read through it carefully, since OCR can misread characters such as “l” and “1” or “O” and “0,” and may lose some formatting. Then save it as a normal Word document (.docx).
This method uses Word’s desktop app. For more on opening PDFs, see how to open a PDF in Microsoft Word.
Method 2: Copy Text from the Image with Windows Tools
If you just need the words, not a whole document, Windows can grab text straight from an image or your screen:
- Snipping Tool (Windows 11): Take a screenshot of the image, then click the Text actions button in the Snipping Tool window. You can copy all detected text and paste it into Word.
- PowerToys Text Extractor: Install Microsoft PowerToys, enable Text Extractor, and press Windows + Shift + T to select an area of the screen. The text is copied to your clipboard.
On Windows 10, see how to copy text from an image in Windows 10 for options that work there.
Method 3: Use OneNote
OneNote has an OCR feature that works well on screenshots and photos:
- Paste or insert the image into a OneNote page.
- Right-click the image and choose Copy Text from Picture.
- Paste the text into your Word document.
Method 4: Use Your Phone
If the original is on paper, your phone may be the fastest route. On iPhone, Live Text lets you select text in the Camera or Photos app and copy it. On Android, Google Lens can copy text from photos. Paste the text into an email or note, then into Word, or use the Word mobile app’s scanning features where available.
Method 5: Use Google Drive as a Free Alternative
If you don’t have the Word desktop app, Google Drive can also OCR images. Upload the image (JPG, PNG, or GIF) to Google Drive, right-click it, and choose Open with > Google Docs. Docs creates a new document with the image at the top and the recognized text below it. You can then download it as a Word file with File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx).
Tips for Better Results
- Use a clear, high-resolution image. Blurry, skewed, or low-contrast images produce more errors.
- Crop out extras. Remove borders, logos, and backgrounds before converting.
- Prefer typed text. OCR handles printed text far better than handwriting.
- Expect to reformat tables. Complex tables and columns often need cleanup after conversion.
- Run a spell check. Press F7 in Word to catch OCR mistakes quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Word convert handwriting to text?
Results with handwriting are usually poor. Typed or printed text works best.
Does this work in Word for the web?
The PDF-to-editable conversion is designed for the desktop app. Use the desktop version or one of the other tools above.
Is converted text a perfect copy?
Rarely. Always proofread, especially numbers, names, and punctuation.
Summary
To convert a picture to text in Word, insert the image into a blank document, save it as a PDF, then open that PDF in Word and let it convert. For quick copying, use Snipping Tool’s Text actions, PowerToys Text Extractor, or OneNote’s Copy Text from Picture, and always proofread the result.
Related: how to convert PDF to Word.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.