OneNote Mac - OCR issue

Question

I have added PDF printouts and images, but since April 2025, these have not been automatically getting OCR. Even 2 months later, the printouts do not have the option to "Copy Text from Picture". Why is this happening? What can I do about it?

I have already tried:

• Copying and pasting images/printouts on the page in the app
• Doing the above, but in the online OneNote
• Patiently waiting for weeks because maybe the OCR function takes time
• Deleting and reinstalling OneNote
• Restarting laptop
• Compressing the PDFs to a smaller size, e.g. 442 kb

[Microsoft® OneNote for Mac. Version 16.97 (25051114)]

Answer 1

Dear Jessica, 

Thank you for replying again for testing the suggested version of OneNote. 

I'm sorry to hear that version 16.16.7 crashed frequently and did not resolve the OCR issue. I appreciate your effort in verifying the image quality and confirming that the text is typed in Arial Font. 

To assist you further, I recommend the following alternatives: 

1. Use Microsoft OneNote Web (via Browser): Sometimes the online version processes OCR more reliably. Please upload the image to a OneNote page via your browser and try the "Copy Text From Picture" function again.
2. Try Microsoft Power Toys OCR (for Windows): If you're using a Windows System, Power Toys includes a feature call "Text Extractor" which works well with clear images and typed fonts - Microsoft PowerToys | Microsoft Learn

If none of these options resolve the issue, please free to reach out. 

Best regards,

Doris V - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

The best "alternative OCR-tool" is OneNote on Windows, the only platform where OCR works reliably.

Bernd

Answer 3

Dear Jessica, 

Thank you for replying again with OCR in OneNote for Mac. I understand how important this functionality is for your work, and I'm here to help. 

Based on your description, it seems that the OCR issue persists despite trying different file formats (JPG and PNG) and contacting your business's support engineer. Unfortunately, there isn't a specific older version of OneNote for Mac that is guaranteed to resolve the OCR issue. However, I have a few suggestions that might help: 

1. Older Version of OneNote: You can try downloading OneNote version 16.16.7, which is compatible with Mac OS 10.11.6. This version might work better with OCR under older Mac OS versions.
2. Image Quality: Ensure that the text in your images is sharp and clearly readable. OCR works best with high-quality images where the text is legible. Handwritten or highly stylized text may not work well with OCR.

I hope these suggestions help you resolve the OCR issue. If you need further assistance or have any other questions, please feel free to reach out. 

Best regards,

Doris V - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 4

Thank you, Doris!

I have already tried the different file formats (JPG and PNG), and still no OCR.

I have also contacted my business's support engineer - they told me this isn't an issue they can help with.

Can I download an older version of OneNote for Mac without the OCR issue? Which version would that be?

Answer 5

Dear Jessica, 

Thank you for reaching out about the OCR issue in OneNote for Mac. This appears to be a known problem following a recent update, and Microsoft has yet to provide a fix. Here are some steps to help resolve the issue:  

• Check again for updates – Future releases may resolve the issue. If the issue is due to a recent update, I suggest downgrading temporarily and waiting for the new update - Update history for Office for Mac - Office release notes | Microsoft Learn
• Try different file formats – PNG or JPG might work better than PDFs.
• Use alternative OCR tools – Adobe Acrobat, Google Keep, or Wonder share PDF element can extract text before adding it to OneNote.

Given the details you’ve provided, I strongly recommend contacting your support engineer for further personalized assistance - Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn 

If you have any other concerns, please feel free to reply. 

Best regards,

Doris V - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist