You can copy text from a photo or image on a Mac with Live Text. Open the image in Photos, Preview, Quick Look, or Safari, move your pointer over the words until the text-selection cursor appears, and then drag across the text. Press Command-C or choose Edit > Copy.
Live Text can also translate selected words, search for information, open websites, and recognize phone numbers. If you cannot select text, the image may be too blurry, the feature may be unavailable for that language or image, or Live Text may be turned off.
Quick Answer
To copy text from an image on your Mac:
- Open the image in Photos, Preview, Quick Look, or Safari.
- Move the pointer over the text.
- When the pointer changes to a text-selection cursor, drag across the words.
- Press Command-C.
- Click where you want to insert the text and press Command-V.
You do not need to type the text manually or use a separate optical character recognition app. Optical character recognition, commonly called OCR, is technology that identifies printed or handwritten characters in an image. On Mac, Live Text provides this function directly in supported apps and images.
Copy Text from a Photo in Photos
The Photos app is useful when the picture is already in your photo library.
- Open Photos.
- Double-click the photo containing the text.
- Move the pointer over the text.
- When the pointer changes from an arrow to a text-selection cursor, drag across the text.
- Press Command-C, or choose Edit > Copy.
- Open another app, such as Notes, Mail, or TextEdit.
- Click where you want the text to appear and press Command-V.
You can select one word, a sentence, a paragraph, or multiple lines. To select more or less text, drag from one end of the selection to the other.
If the photo is difficult to read
Zoom in before selecting text:
- Open the photo in Photos.
- Move the pointer over the image.
- Use the zoom controls, or use a trackpad pinch gesture if available.
- Try selecting the text again.
A sharper, well-lit image generally produces better results. If the picture contains a tilted page, glare, shadows, or unusual fonts, Live Text may recognize only part of the content.
Copy Text from an Image in Preview
Preview can open many common image files, including JPEG, PNG, and PDF files containing scanned pages.
- In Finder, locate the image.
- Double-click it to open it in Preview. If another app opens the file, Control-click it, choose Open With, and then select Preview.
- Move the pointer over the text.
- Drag across the words when the text-selection cursor appears.
- Press Command-C.
- Paste the copied text into another app with Command-V.
Preview is especially convenient for screenshots, downloaded images, and scanned documents saved as files.
Copy text from a scanned PDF
If a PDF contains a scanned page rather than selectable digital text, Live Text may still recognize the words displayed on the page.
- Open the PDF in Preview.
- Move the pointer over the words.
- Drag to select the text.
- Press Command-C and paste it elsewhere.
If you can select text immediately without the pointer changing over individual words, the PDF may already contain a text layer. In that case, Preview is copying the document’s existing text rather than recognizing it from the image.
Copy Text with Quick Look
Quick Look lets you preview an image without opening it in a full app.
- Open Finder.
- Select the image file.
- Press the Space bar.
- Move the pointer over the text in the preview.
- Drag across the words when the text-selection cursor appears.
- Press Command-C.
- Press the Space bar again to close Quick Look when finished.
You can paste the selection into another app with Command-V.
Quick Look is a fast option for a file in a folder, on the desktop, or in a downloaded-files location. It may not provide as much zooming or editing control as Preview, so open the file in Preview if selecting text is difficult.
Copy Text from an Image in Safari
Safari can display images on websites and can also open local image files.
Copy text from an image on a webpage
- Open Safari.
- Go to the webpage containing the image.
- Move the pointer over the text within the image.
- Drag across the words when the text-selection cursor appears.
- Press Command-C.
- Paste the text into another app with Command-V.
Some websites prevent normal selection or display images in a way that makes Live Text unavailable. If you cannot select the words, try saving the image and opening it in Preview.
Open a local image in Safari
- In Finder, locate the image.
- Control-click the file.
- Choose Open With > Safari.
- Select the text in the displayed image.
- Press Command-C.
You can also drag an image file into a Safari window. This does not modify the original file.
Use Live Text to Translate Text
Live Text can recognize words in an image and offer translation when translation is available for the detected language.
- Open the image in Photos, Preview, Quick Look, or Safari.
- Select the text.
- Control-click the selection, or click the small menu that appears near it.
- Choose Translate, if that option is available.
- Review the translated text and choose the available language options.
You can also copy the original text first and paste it into an app that supports translation. Translation availability can vary by language, region, and the type of content selected.
Search for Text or Information in an Image
You can search for selected words without retyping them.
- Select the text in the image.
- Control-click the selection.
- Choose a search option, such as Look Up or Search with Google, when available.
- Review the results.
The available command depends on the app, the selected content, and your Mac’s configured search services. For a business name, product, address, or unfamiliar term, copying the text and pasting it into Safari is another reliable method.
Call a Phone Number in a Photo
When Live Text recognizes a phone number, macOS may provide an action for calling or messaging it.
- Open the image.
- Move the pointer over the phone number.
- Control-click the recognized number.
- Choose the available phone, message, or contact action.
The exact options depend on your Mac and connected communication apps. If no call action appears, select and copy the number, then paste it into the app you normally use for calls.
Check the number carefully before calling. Text recognition can confuse characters such as 1, I, and 7, especially in low-quality images.
Copy Text Without Extra Formatting
Text copied from an image may include line breaks or formatting that you do not want. To paste only the words and match the destination app’s formatting, use the app’s plain-text paste command when available.
In many Mac apps, the shortcut is Option-Shift-Command-V, but the command can vary by app. You can also paste normally and then use the destination app’s formatting controls to remove unwanted styling or line breaks.
If the copied result contains errors, compare it with the original image. Live Text recognizes the visual appearance of the characters; it does not know what the writer intended.
When Text Selection Is Unavailable
If the pointer never changes to a text-selection cursor, try the following solutions.
Confirm that Live Text is enabled
Live Text is controlled in System Settings.
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Open General.
- Select Language & Region.
- Look for the Live Text setting.
- Turn on the option that allows text in images to be selected, if it is available.
The wording and location of settings can vary by macOS release. If you do not see a Live Text option, your Mac or current system configuration may not support the feature.
Changing this setting changes how macOS handles text recognition in supported images. It does not change or delete your photos.
Try another app
A webpage may limit selection even when the same image works in Preview.
- Save or download the image if you have permission to do so.
- Open the saved file in Preview.
- Try selecting the text there.
Do not download copyrighted or private images unless you have the right to save and use them.
Improve the image
Live Text may fail when text is:
- Very small
- Blurry or out of focus
- Obscured by glare or shadows
- Rotated or heavily distorted
- Written in an unsupported language or script
- Overlapping a busy background
- Handwritten or using a decorative font
Try using a higher-resolution copy, cropping the image to the text, or adjusting the image’s orientation. Cropping or editing a duplicate is safer if you want to preserve the original.
Check the selection
You may be clicking an image object rather than the words inside it. Move slowly over individual characters until the pointer changes. Then drag across the text instead of clicking once.
For a PDF, make sure the page is visible at a usable zoom level. A PDF can contain selectable text, an image of text, or a mixture of both.
Restart the app
Close the app and open the image again if recognition appears stuck. Before closing, save any unsaved work in that app. Closing an app can discard unsaved changes.
If the problem continues, restart the Mac after saving your work. A restart can clear temporary software issues but does not repair a blurry or unreadable image.
Tips for Better Recognition
Use these techniques when Live Text produces incomplete or inaccurate results:
- Use the original photo instead of a screenshot of a compressed image.
- Photograph documents in even lighting.
- Keep the camera parallel to the page.
- Avoid glare from glossy paper.
- Make the text large enough to read on screen.
- Crop away unrelated parts of the image.
- Select shorter sections if a large paragraph produces mistakes.
- Check names, addresses, dates, prices, and phone numbers against the image.
- Paste the result into a text editor first so you can correct it before using it elsewhere.
For important information, treat recognized text as a draft that needs proofreading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy text from a screenshot on a Mac?
Yes. Open the screenshot in Preview, Quick Look, Photos, or Safari, then select the words with Live Text and press Command-C. Screenshots with sharp, high-contrast text usually work best.
Can I copy text from a PDF?
Yes, if the PDF contains selectable text or if Live Text can recognize text in a scanned page. Open the PDF in Preview and try dragging across the words.
Can I copy handwritten text?
Live Text is generally more reliable with clear printed text than handwriting. Handwritten notes may not be recognized, particularly when the writing is small, faint, or inconsistent.
Why can I select text in Preview but not Safari?
The website may restrict selection, place the image inside an interactive element, or display it in a format Safari cannot process for Live Text. Save the image and open it in Preview, if permitted.
Does copying text change the original photo?
No. Selecting and copying text does not edit the image. Cropping, rotating, or making other changes in an image editor can modify a file, so work on a duplicate when preserving the original matters.
Where does copied text go?
Copied text is placed on the Mac clipboard. It remains available until you copy something else or the clipboard is replaced. Paste it into another app with Command-V.
Can I copy an entire page of text at once?
You can drag across multiple lines when Live Text recognizes them. For long documents, select smaller sections and check the result as you go. Recognition errors are easier to find and correct in shorter passages.
What if Live Text is missing from my Mac?
Check System Settings > General > Language & Region for the Live Text setting and make sure it is enabled. If the setting is absent, your Mac, language, region, or macOS configuration may not support the feature. You can still use a third-party OCR app or manually transcribe the text.
Final Thoughts
Live Text makes copying words from photos and images straightforward: open the image, drag across the recognized text, and press Command-C. Photos, Preview, Quick Look, and Safari all provide convenient ways to work with images, while additional actions can translate text, search for information, or recognize phone numbers. For the best results, use a clear image, verify important details, and open the file in Preview when a webpage or quick preview does not allow selection.