You might have run into issues before with an image that contains text, within a Word document. If you want to edit that text or convert picture to text in Word, it isn't obvious how you should proceed.
Today we'll run through the basics of how to convert image to editable text in Word. We'll run through the steps for doing this in Word first. After that, we'll look at another piece of software that can convert pictures to text more efficiently - so make sure you read to the end.
Part 1: How To Convert Picture to Text in Word (With Limitations)
If you're used to working with Microsoft Word, you're probably keen to stick with the same tool when it comes to converting images to text. After all, it's what you're familiar with.
It's worth keeping in mind that Word doesn't have OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. So, while there are ways of converting pictures to text using Word, it isn't always the best option.
If an image is slightly distorted or tilted, the resulting 'translation' from image to text may be unsuccessful. You're also likely to lose formatting, making for a less readable version of the text.
Also, Word can't process more than one image at a time, so for several images, you'll need to perform multiple conversions, which can be time-consuming.
So, while Microsoft Word can convert pictures to text, to an extent, it isn't the best tool for the job. In Part 2 we'll look in detail at UPDF, which uses OCR technology to convert images to words far more effectively.
If you're looking for the best solution, you could download it right now, and see for yourself how easy it is to convert pictures to text using UPDF.
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Steps to convert picture to text in Word
If you're happiest sticking with the familiarity of Word, then here's how to get your images converted into text. We're using a page from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass to illustrate the steps.
Step 1. Insert the image into a Word document using one of the following methods:
- Drag and drop the image into an open Word document.
- Go to Insert > Pictures > This device, then locate the image and click 'Insert'.
Step 2. Crop the image to remove unnecessary content, leaving only the relevant text:
- Right-click the image and select 'Crop'.
- Adjust the cropped area to include only the desired area.
- Click outside the cropped area to make the change.
Step 3. Adjust the image to fit your page width:
- Select the image and then click the Layout Options button.
- Choose 'In Front of Text'.
- Resize the image to fit the full page width.
Step 4. Save the document as a PDF:
- Go to File > Save As > Browse, and then choose a location for saving the file.
- Select 'PDF' as the file type.
- Give the document an appropriate name.
- Click 'Save'.
Step 5. Open the PDF in Word:
- Go to File > Open > Browse, then select the file and click 'Open'.
- Click OK in the dialogue box that appears, confirming that you'd like to convert image to editable text in Word. (Note the warning that it might not look the same as the original document).
Step 6. Verify the converted text:
- Compare the new version against the original, and make any adjustments needed. As you can see, Word has extracted the text, but it has created a spelling error where the word "difficulty" is split across two lines in the original. It's also changed the formatting, and you no longer have the image included.
Part 2: The Better Way To Convert Pictures to Text Without Word
You've seen how to get Word to convert a PDF into editable text. Sometimes that works beautifully, and sometimes the results leave a lot to be desired. In this section, we'll look at a more reliable option.
UPDF is a better way to convert images to text. It uses advanced OCR technology to detect text in more than 38 languages and convert it to a searchable, editable format.
You can test the OCR process in the free version of UPDF by clicking below to download. To save or copy text produced through OCR you'll want the paid version of the software - there's currently a sale, so it's the perfect time to buy.
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Why is UPDF the best choice for converting images to text?
- UPDF retains both the text and the image during the OCR process. You get to keep the original formatting because the software creates a searchable, editable layer of text above the original PDF.
- You can edit the text after conversion. It's simple to add or delete text, change font size, color, and even the font itself.
- Save the converted file in a range of formats, both editable and non-editable. For example, Word, PowerPoint, PDF, PNG, JPG.
- UPDF supports OCR for more than 38 languages and can even recognise text in more than one language within the same document.
- The process is fast and intuitive. It's easy to work out how to use OCR in UPDF, and it takes just seconds to convert images to text.
How to convert pictures to text in UPDF
Step 1. Download UPDF and open it.
Step 2. Go to File > Create > PDF from Image then locate your image and load it into UPDF.
Step 3. Choose 'OCR' from the right-hand menu and choose your preferred settings.
Remember to select 'Text over the page image' if you want the resulting text to be both searchable and editable.
Step 4. Click 'Perform OCR' and choose an appropriate filename and location for the new file. As you can see below, this new version of the image looks the same, all the original formatting has been retained. However, as the highlighting shows, it's now searchable and editable.
You can also edit the text with UPDF if you like.
Step 5. If you want to convert the editted file back to an image file, you can also use UPDF's conversion tool to save it as a PNG/JPEG/BMP/TIFF image.
Part 3: FAQs About Converting Images to Text in Word
1. How do I extract text from a picture and paste it into Word?
You can do this using the method outlined in Part 1 above. Briefly, you save the image as a PDF, and then open it in Word, triggering Word to convert the PDF into an editable format. You can then copy and paste that text wherever it's needed.
2. How to extract text from an image?
The easiest way to do this is to use UPDF, following the method outlined in this article on how to extract text from images.
It's also possible to save the image as a PDF, and then open it in Word, thus extracting the text, but this method is clunky and less reliable,
3. How do I make an image editable?
3.Again, UPDF offers the simplest way to make an image editable. Use the OCR feature, and select 'Text over the page image'. This creates a searchable, editable version of the text without losing the original formatting.
If you prefer using Word, you'll need to save the image as a PDF and then open it in Word, but this is likely to destroy the formatting of the original image.
Final Takeaway
Microsoft Word doesn't have inbuilt OCR technology, so to convert picture to text in Word, you need to use the workaround of first saving it as a PDF. Even then, the results aren't always what you might hope for.
UPDF offers the perfect solution. OCR technology is built into the software, and it works almost instantaneously. It's also the best way to convert images to text without wrecking the original formatting.
See for yourself when you download UPDF today.
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