How do I convert a picture to text from Windows 11?

Any browser lens can get text from image. 

other options are:
OneNote
Snipping Tool
Microsoft Photos app (I prefer this)

Microsoft Lens​​ is a great app for scanning documents and converting text from a picture.

Python script. Pytesseract​​ is a Python wrapper for ​​Google’s Tesseract OCR Engine​​, an open-source optical character recognition tool that can extract text from images. It allows developers to easily integrate OCR functionality into Python scripts, enabling them to detect and read text from images (like screenshots, scanned documents, or photos) with just a few lines of code.

By using pytesseractalong with the Python Imaging Library (PILor Pillow), you can process image files and convert the contained text into editable, searchable, or analyzable strings.

Example code for converting pic to text on Windows PC or Mac:

from PIL import Image
import pytesseract
text = pytesseract.image_to_string(Image.open('your_picture.png'))
print(text)

When you convert pic to text on Windows 11, ensure that the image is not too low resolution. The lower the resolution, the less detail the software can capture, resulting in errors.

Blurred, low-resolution, or heavily compressed images are difficult for OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software to read. If the text is small or the image is grainy, the conversion might be inaccurate or incomplete. Take a clear, high-quality picture, ideally with good lighting. Images that are not straight or have been rotated excessively will confuse the OCR software, potentially leading to distorted or incorrect text. Ensure the image is properly oriented.

About convertting pic to text. While OneNote, and other similar tools, can often handle various image formats, using a format that's easily read by the OCR engine, like a PNG or JPG, is recommended.

You can easily convert pictures to text on Windows 11 with built-in tools. The Snipping Tool now has a Text Actions option to copy text directly from screenshots. Microsoft PowerToys Text Extractor (Win + Shift + T) also works great for quick OCR. For scanned documents, OneNote lets you right-click an image and choose Copy Text from Picture. For best accuracy, use clear, high-contrast images—printed text works best, while handwriting may need extra cleanup.

Windows includes a free built-in application called Microsoft OneNote, which features powerful OCR capabilities. No additional cost is required, and it comes pre-installed on many Windows computers, making it exceptionally easy to use.

How to convert picture to text:

1. Open OneNote.
2. Create a new page, then click Insert > Picture to add the screenshot or scanned document you wish to convert.
3. Right-click the newly inserted image and select Copy Text from Picture from the menu.
4. Open a text editor like Notepad or Word, press Ctrl+V to paste the extracted text, then edit and use it as needed.

OneNote's advantage lies in its two-step process copy and pasteto convert images to text, making it highly convenient. However, its text recognition accuracy is average, making it more suitable for scenarios involving only a few images or scanned documents.

Captura2Text is a lightweight OCR tool for Windows that allows you to quickly convert picture to text or from screen regions. It's user-friendly and doesn’t require complex setup, making it a good choice for simple, quick text capture tasks on Windows 11.

Potential Errors and How to Avoid Them

• Incorrect Text Capture: Keep the capture area well-defined. Avoid capturing unnecessary background elements.
• Clipboard Issues: The extracted text is usually copied to clipboard. Verify it before pasting, especially with complex images.
• Limited Formatting Support: Captura2Text extracts plain text; it does not preserve formatting, which can sometimes lead to misinterpretation of layout.

Advantages of Converting Picture to Text

• Very lightweight, free, and portable.
• Quick for on-the-fly text extraction during screen work.
• No need for extensive setup or image editing.

Google Keep is a free, web-based tool that works perfectly on Windows 11 for converting pic to text. Here’s how you can do it step-by-step:

Step 1: Open Google Keep
Step 2: Create a New Note

• Click the "Take a note" area or "Add note".
• Click the image icon (a small mountain with a sun) at the bottom of the note to insert a pic.

Step 3: Upload Your Screenshot

• Select your screenshot or pic from your computer.
• Wait for it to upload and appear in the note.

Step 4: Extract Pic to Text

• Click on the uploaded image.
• In the top right corner of the pic, click the three-dot menu (More options).
• Select "Grab image text".

Step 5: Copy the Extracted Text

• Google Keep will process the image and display the extracted text below the pic.
• Highlight the text, right-click, and choose Copy.
• Paste it into any document or text editor for editing.