OCR Image to Text
Run OCR on JPG, PNG, or WEBP images in your browser. Copy text or download as .txt.
- Browser-only
- No upload
- No login
- No watermark
- Clear instantly
- Open-source engines
Heads upFirst use downloads an English OCR model (~10 MB). Best results need clear, high-contrast images.
Drop files here
or use the buttons below · .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .webp
Your file stays on this device · conversion runs locally in your browser
Deep dive
What is OCR Image to Text?
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) extracts readable text from an image — a photo of a page, a screenshot with text, or a scanned document. Instead of retyping the words, you get selectable text you can copy, edit, or paste anywhere.
FormatSwitch's OCR runs entirely in your browser using Tesseract.js compiled to WebAssembly. It is the private way to extract text from screenshots of chats, receipts, book pages, whiteboards, or any other image.
When to use it
- Copy text from a screenshot or photo you can't select from.
- Extract quotes from a book page you photographed.
- Digitise a printed receipt or business card.
- Grab a code snippet from a slide or presentation image.
How to use it safely without uploading
Drop your image(s) and press Run OCR. The recognised text appears next to each file — copy to clipboard or download as .txt. Everything runs locally.
Browser-based vs server-based conversion
Most online converters upload your files to their servers, process them there, and then let you download the result. That means your file exists on someone else's computer, often in logs and backups, sometimes indefinitely. FormatSwitch is different: every conversion runs on your device using WebAssembly and the browser's built-in Canvas and PDF engines. Your file never leaves your computer, so there is nothing to leak, nothing to subpoena, and nothing to trust us on — the code that does the work is running right in your tab.
FAQ
OCR Image to Text — questions people ask
- Are my images uploaded?
- No. Files are processed entirely in your browser using WebAssembly and the Canvas API. Nothing is uploaded to a server, and no copy is kept once you close or refresh the tab.
- Which languages are supported?
- English by default. The engine (Tesseract.js) supports many more languages and can be extended if needed.
- How accurate is browser OCR?
- Very good on clean, high-contrast text. Handwriting and low-resolution photos are less reliable — take a sharp, well-lit photo for best results.
- Does it work on mobile?
- Yes. Every tool runs on modern iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Very large files may be slower on mobile because of tighter memory limits.
- Are my images stored anywhere?
- No. Files live only in your browser's memory (JavaScript heap). They disappear when you clear the queue, refresh, or close the tab. There is no server, no database, no log.
- Can I use it offline?
- Yes, after the first visit. FormatSwitch is a Progressive Web App — the tool scripts are cached by your browser, so you can open the same tool later and use it without an internet connection.