4 Ways to Use Google Lens to Copy Text From an Image

Quick Tips

• To extract real-time text from an object, open the Google App → tap the Google Lens icon → point the camera → tap the shutter button → select text → tap Copy text.
• You can also copy text from images stored on your device. Go to Google App → Google Lens → tap the gallery icon → select the image → select text → tap Copy text.
• To copy text from an online image on Google, long-press the image → select Open with Google → select Text → choose the text → Copy text.

Tip: You can also use the below methods to copy hand-written notes without typing.

Method 1. Extract Text From Image in Real-Time

Google Lens, a feature of the Google app, allows you to copy text from an image on Android and iPhone. This app comes pre-installed on Android phones, but you must install it on iOS.

Step 1: Open the Google app on your phone. Tap the Google Lens icon from the search bar.

Pro Tip: You can tap the Google Lens icon in the Google search bar on your phone’s home screen.

Step 2: Now, point the camera toward the text you want to capture and tap the Shutter button.

Step 3: The object will be highlighted. Tap and select the text you want to copy. You’ll see a few options ranging from Copy text to Translate.

Step 4: Tap Copy Text. The text will be copied to your phone’s clipboard, which you can paste anywhere.

To extract all the text on the object, move the highlighters to select all the text, followed by Copy text.

Note: On an iPhone, you can also employ Live Text to extract text.

Method 2. Copy Text From Camera Roll Photos

You can also extract text from an image, such as screenshots, on your phone using Google Lens. For this method, you can access Google Lens from the Google app, as shown in the method above, or use the Google Photos app.

Note: You might have to give the Google App and Google Photos permission to access photos to proceed.

Using Google Search Bar

Step 1: Open the Google app > tap the Google Lens icon.

Step 2: Press the Gallery icon to see the images stored on your phone. Select the photo from which you want to copy the text.

Step 3: Google Lens will highlight the text in the picture. Tap and select the text you want to copy > tap Copy Text.

Tip: Check out the best tools to extract fonts from PDF online.

Using the Google Photos App

Step 1: Launch the Google Photos app. Select the photo you want to extract text from.

Step 2: Tap the Google Lens icon at the bottom. The photo will be highlighted.

Step 3: Select the text you want to copy > tap Copy text. You can paste this text wherever you like.

Tip: Learn how to ensure Google Photos are private.

Method 3. Copy Text From Pictures Online

Thankfully, you can use Google Lens to extract and copy text from any picture online. For this method to work, you must use Chrome browser or Google search in any browser.

Using Google Search

Step 1: Open Google Search in any browser on your phone. Search and select the image whose text you want to copy.

Step 2: Tap the Google Lens icon at the bottom left of the image. Google Lens will highlight the image.

Step 3: Tap Text from the image’s bottom. Select the text > tap Copy.

Using Chrome Browser

On the Chrome browser, you can use Google Lens search on any website to extract text from pictures.

Step 1: Open the website with the image. Then, long-press the image and select Search image with Google.

Step 2: Tap the Text tab > choose Select all > Copy text to copy all the text on the picture.

Alternatively, you can select the text manually from the image and copy the text.

Method 4. Copy Text From a Picture on Your Phone to a Computer

Google Lens provides a native feature to copy text from a picture present on your phone to your laptop. We will show the steps using one method, but you can use any of the above methods.

Note: You must be logged into the same Google account in the Chrome browser on your computer that you are using on your phone.

Step 1: Tap the Google Lens icon in the Google app. Select the text from the image as per usual.

Step 2: However, instead of the usual Copy text, swipe through the options and select Copy to computer.

Step 3: The available computers will appear. Tap the device to which you want to copy the text.

Step 4: Notably, depending upon your device, you may or may not get a notification for the copied text. Press Ctrl + V to paste the text wherever you want on your PC.

Tip: Know how to sync the clipboard between PC and Android.

FAQs