In this post, we will show you how to enable or disable auto-scan images for text in the Photos app on a Windows 11/10 PC. Microsoft has recently announced a new update for the Photos app that introduces Optical Character Recognition (OCR) capabilities for all Windows 11/10 PCs, allowing users to extract text from images directly within the app.
Using OCR feature in Windows Photos app
The OCR feature makes the Photos app more functional for both personal and professional use. It is controlled by a specific setting called ‘Automatically scan images for text‘ that can be turned on or off based on user preferences or requirements. When turned on, the setting enables the Photos app to detect and recognize text within images automatically, such as photos of documents, handwritten notes, or any other visual content, without needing third-party tools.
Enable or Disable auto-scan images for text in Photos app
In the following sections, we will show you how to enable or disable ‘auto-scan images for text’ in the Microsoft Photos app. However, before that, please note that the update is currently released only to Windows Insiders but will be available to all soon. So update the Photos app first.
Enable auto-scan images for text in the Photos app
The OCR feature is active by default in the Microsoft Photos app. This means that when you view an image, the app will automatically detect any text present and make it available for copying without requiring additional action.
To confirm this, open an image that contains text. Wait a moment to see if the app automatically detects the text. Look for the OCR icon at the bottom of the image.
If the text is detected, you should be able to select and copy it.
To copy the entire text to your clipboard, click the Copy all text button at the bottom.
To copy part of the identified text, highlight the specific portion by clicking and dragging over it. Then right-click and select the Copy text option.
You can now paste the copied text into any application (such as Word, Notepad, etc.) using ‘Ctrl + V’ or by right-clicking and selecting Paste.
Disable auto-scan images for text in the Photos app
If you prefer not to have the app actively search for text in every image you open, you can turn off the ‘Automatically scan images for text’ option.
Click on the Start menu and search for ‘Photos‘ to open the app. In the Photos app, click on the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner.
On the Settings page, look for the ‘Automatically scan images for text‘ option under the Personalization section. Toggle the switch next to this option to the Off position to disable the OCR feature in the Photos app.
You can re-enable the feature at any time by following the same steps and toggling the setting back to ‘On’.
Read: How to add Favorites to Photos app in Windows.
How to scan an image for text?
You can use the Microsoft Photos app to scan an image for text. Open the app and select the image you want to scan. Wait a moment for the app to detect the text automatically. Once detected, you can select and copy the text to your clipboard directly from within the app.
Is there an app for scanning image to text?
Yes, there are several online and offline apps for scanning images to text on Windows PCs. Microsoft Photos app includes an OCR feature that allows you to extract text from images directly. Microsoft OneNote has built-in OCR capabilities for images inserted into notes. Other free software, like Capture2Text, can also be installed on Windows for quick image-to-text conversion.
Read Next: Best free OCR software for Windows.
