How to convert images to text in Google Docs

Google Docs offers a variety of productivity features.However, it lacks a built-in optical character recognition (OCR) option.This can be frustrating when you need to extract text from a document within an image.

Fortunately, you can use Google Drive or a third-party plug-in to accomplish this task.Let's explore each method to help you efficiently convert images to text in Google Docs.

Convert pictures to text in Google Docs using Google Drive

Google Drive provides a convenient way to extract text from images.You may prefer this method over existing OCR applications because you don't need to use any third-party applications.

It is important to note that when converting images to text in Google Drive, make sure the image is oriented correctly and the size does not exceed 2 MB.Additionally, for best conversion, the text in the image should be at least 10 pixels tall.

Here's how to use Google Drive to convert pictures to text:

1. Open in a browser Google Drive and log into your account.

2. Click "New" in the upper left corner and select "File Upload".

3. Select the picture you want to convert to text and click "Open".

4. Right-click the uploaded image, hover over "Open with" and select Google Docs from the menu.

5. The image and extracted text will open in a new Google Docs document.

You can copy and paste the extracted text into your main Google Doc.Alternatively, you can remove the image and work only in this document.

It's important to note that this built-in feature doesn't always produce the best results. Google Drive's image-to-text conversion feature lacks font recognition.The output text may also suffer from incomplete formatting, so it's not ideal for large documents using a variety of formats.

Convert images to text in Google Docs with the Img to Docs add-on

If you don't want to go through the hassle of uploading images to Google Drive, you can use a third-party plug-in called Img to Docs.The dedicated plug-in also yields more accurate and polished results than Google Drive's built-in OCR functionality.

To use Img to Docs, you need to first install it from the Google Workspace Marketplace.

1. Open a new document in Google Docs.

2. Click "Extensions" in the top navigation bar, hover over "Add-ons," and select "Get add-ons."

3. Enter Img to Docs - Image OCR in the search bar and press Enter.

4. Click Install.

5. Click Continue to grant permission to begin the installation.

6. Once the installation is complete, close the Add-ons window.

Now, with the extension installed, all you have to do is drag and drop your images into the plugin and wait for OCR to work its magic.

1. Click "Extensions", hover over "Img to Docs - Image OCR" and select "Launch".

2. The Image to Document plugin will open in the right sidebar.Drag and drop images into the plugin.

3. The extracted text will appear in the text field.Click "Insert" to insert the extracted text into the document.

Quickly extract text from images in Google Docs

While most word processors have built-in optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities, Google Docs does not yet offer this functionality.However, you can still extract text from images in Google Docs using Google Drive or third-party plug-ins.

By following these steps, you can avoid manually typing text in images and get the most out of Google Docs.