Freemium
Fotor Image to Text
Free AI OCR that reads text from photos, screenshots, scans and handwriting, with one-click translation.
FreeBeginnerWebWindowsMaciOSAndroid
Overview
Fotor Image to Text pulls editable text out of pictures using optical character recognition (OCR), the technology that reads letters and words from an image. It handles photos, screenshots, scanned pages and handwriting, and cleans up skew and low contrast on messy sources. The extracted words appear in a box you can edit, copy or download, and a built-in translator turns them into another language in one click.
Fotor states it works in any browser and on any operating system. The tool is free to use, including the translation step. Fotor's paid plans cover its other AI editing features, and this OCR tool is free.
Key features
✓AI OCR from photos and screenshots
✓Handwriting recognition
✓Scanned document reading
✓Cleans skew, blur and low contrast
✓One-click multilingual translation
✓Edit, copy or download the result
When to use
Use Fotor Image to Text when you need words out of a picture:
- You photographed a menu, sign, whiteboard or business card and want the text to copy.
- You have a scanned document or handwritten note to digitize without retyping.
- You need the text in another language: the translator handles it in one click.
- You already use Fotor and want OCR in the same account, not a second app.
- You want a quick, free conversion with no install, on web or phone.
When NOT to use
Skip Fotor Image to Text if any of these describe you:
- You run a document pipeline with thousands of pages. This tool reads one image at a time, so an OCR service built for volume fits better.
- You must keep files fully on your own machine. The tool reads images on Fotor's servers, so uploads leave your device.
- You need perfect layout preservation from complex multi-column PDFs. OCR recovers the words but may reorder them.
- You want to edit the image itself, not extract text. A photo editor is the right tool for that.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Fotor states the OCR tool is free to use, including the translation step, and you can copy or download the result without paying. Fotor's other AI editing features have paid plans, but this tool is free.
It reads printed text from photos, screenshots and scans, and it also handles handwriting. The AI is tuned for messy sources, odd fonts and low-res or shadowed images.
Yes. A built-in translator converts the extracted text into another language in one click. Fotor states it covers many languages and aims to keep punctuation and terms accurate.
It accepts common image formats including JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC and HEIF, plus HTML. The upload screen lists the formats it currently takes.
Yes. Fotor states the tool works in any browser and on any operating system, so a phone browser is enough. There is nothing to install.
Fotor states that all uploaded images are automatically deleted from its database within 24 hours. It also states that your information is not stored or shared. For sensitive or confidential documents, check Fotor's terms before uploading.
For occasional photos and notes, yes. For thousands of pages or automated workflows, an OCR service built for volume is the better fit.
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