How to Convert Handwriting to Text with 5 Methods? [Complete Guide]

Whether you are a student who takes notes in class or a businessman who takes notes during meetings, you will use a notebook to take them with your pen most of the time. However, it is not easy to rewrite, store, and share notes. That is why so many users search around to find solutions for how to convert handwriting to text.

To help you get proper solutions quickly, we list the top 5 ways here including UPDF‘s OCR, GoodNotes, and Evernote. Go ahead and follow the guide.

Part 1. How to Convert Handwriting to Text Using UPDF's AI OCR

UPDF integrates the latest AI technology, GPT, into its app. It also offers an online AI assistant dedicated solely to AI tasks. The AI can convert handwriting to text with high accuracy and speed.

Additionally, you can upload a screenshot of a document or image, and the AI will directly translate the handwriting for you. But that's not all—explore this page to learn more about its capabilities, or try it out for free now!

Converting Handwriting to Text Using UPDF's AI

If you have a Notebook with handwriting, you can take pictures of them, then, use UPDF's AI OCR to convert them to text.

Step 1. Download and install UPDF on your device.

Step 2. Upload the pictures that you took before to the chat box, and input the prompt there: Extract the handwriting from the image for me. The AI will instantly provide the text.

If the handwritten notes are in PDF format, you can open them in UPDF directly, then, use the screenshot feature in the UPDF AI to upload them.

Step 3. If you want, you can use UPDF's creation feature to create a blank PDF and paste the text there. To do this, simply click on 'File' > 'Create' > 'Blank Page'. Switch to the Edit mode, add a text box and add the text there.

Part 2. How to Convert Handwriting to Text on iOS with UPDF? (iOS)

UPDF also allows you to convert handwriting into text via its iOS version with the help of the scan to PDF functionality. Users can easily scan their handwritten notes using the iPhone camera within the UPDF and then apply the OCR feature on the desktop version to convert them into text. The following steps will help you do so in an easy-to-utilize method.

Step 1. Convert Your Handwritten Scans to PDF

First, you have to scan the handwritten notes with the help of your iPhone camera. To do so, hit the "+" icon on the bottom right of your screen and select the "Scan" option. Now, take a snapshot of the handwritten notes by enabling the Auto-Recognize option for better results. Then, press the "Arrow" icon at the lower-right corner. Customize the image files. Click on the "Download" to save the document, then, click on the "Three Dots" in the saved document, select "Convert to PDF".

Step 2. Enable OCR

Open the PDF, hold on the content, tap on the "Right Arrow" and tap on the "OCR" icon. When the OCR process is done. Just hold on the text again and tap "Copy" to extract the handwritten and paste the content to the place you need.

Part 3. How to Convert Handwriting to Text with UPDF Online AI?

UPDF has an online AI that can also help you extract handwriting to text. If you are those who do not want to download any software, you can use this method. Here are the steps.

Steps: Click on the below button to visit UPDF Online AI. Log in or create an account. Make sure you take a screenshot or capture your handwriting. Then, click on the "Image" icon, select the handwriting image on your computer or mobile, enter the prompt "Extract handwriting from the image", and press enter. Now, your handwriting is extracted. You can copy them to the place you need.

UPDF AI has many other features, you can watch the below video to learn more. And UPDF AI has 100 tasks for free to use. When you use them up, you can upgrade to pro version at a very low price.

Part 4. How to Convert Handwriting to Text in GoodNotes? (Mac and iOS)

GoodNotes is a good handwriting-to-text app and digital note-taking app compatible with MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. To convert handwritten notes into text with GoodNotes, follow the simple steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Open Good Notes on your MacBook and import scanned handwritten notes by clicking on the "New" button and follow it up by clicking on "Import." Now, select the handwritten document from Mac and import it to Good Notes.

Step 2: After importing a handwritten document, click on "Lasso Tool" from the toolbar. Mark the area of handwritten notes you want to convert into text. Follow it up by clicking on "Selection" and navigating to "Convert" to initiate the conversion.

Step 3: As soon as you click on convert, navigate to the "Share" button on the top right corner and follow it up by tapping on "Copy." To paste the converted handwritten note into text, long press on the screen, and your handwritten notes will be converted into text.

Part 5. How to Convert Handwriting to Text with Evernote (Win, Mac, iOS, and Android)

Evernote is a renowned note-taking application compatible with almost all OS and devices. It has an OCR feature that can help users convert handwritten notes to text. It also offers many other features to its user, such as adding notes, adding handwritten notes, voice notes, images, and screenshots to make notes catchy and productive. You can follow the steps mentioned to convert any handwriting into text using the OCR feature offered by Evernote:

Step 1: Download the Evernote application on your MacBook or Windows and launch it. After launching the application, import the handwritten notes on Evernote by clicking on "File" and follow it up by clicking on the "Import" option. Browse the Handwritten notes from your device and click on "Open."

Step 2: After importing the scanned handwritten notes, search for a text in the search bar to enable the OCR feature on handwritten notes.

Step 3: Once the search result is displayed on the screen, all the selected handwritten notes will be converted into digital text.

Part 6. Tips for Converting Handwriting to Text

Even though the UPDF OCR recognition feature can convert handwriting to text, the writing should be neat to facilitate the process. For this purpose, you can follow the tips given below to make the text recognition operation seamless.

• Use Lined Paper: You should look to using good quality paper to avoid any inconsistency in the writing. We recommend you use lined paper to write without any errors.
• Write in Capital Letters: OCR will quickly recognize the characters in your handwritten notes if you write in capital letters. By doing so, you will avoid any confusion that can be caused by intermingling small letters.
• Keep Your Writing Uniform: As discussed before, you should write in a uniform way to let the OCR feature recognize your handwriting. For this purpose, you should write as slowly as possible to maintain uniformity.
• Avoid Smudging: Try your best to avoid smudging and ink leakage for better recognition of writing. You can do so by using good-quality paper and a pen.

Conclusion

There are various methods and applications discussed in the article by which you can easily convert handwriting notes to text. Suppose you are someone who is looking for the best method to convert handwritten notes regularly into text. In that case, it is better to opt for the application that offers quick, simple, and accurate conversion of scanned or image-based handwritten notes. Then, UPDF is the best solution. Install this robust PDF editor today and manage your files on the go. To learn more about UPDF, you can read this review article.