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Scan tools for desktop

Anonymous
2024-01-18T18:29:32+00:00

I regularly want to extract text from images, and I struggle to find reliable tools in the various Microsoft product offerings which accomplish this.

I know there are several ways to extract text within different applications, but would prefer not to create a new OneNote, PowerPoint or whatever other file just to extract text from a single image (and sometimes creating that file doesn't even work as I expect, so it clutters my files, spends my time, and still doesn't do what I expect).

On my iPhone I noticed in the Microsoft 365 app that it suggests tools called Scan Tools and PDF Tools.

That's great, and looks like what I want, except that I was hoping to find a desktop version because I really don't want to copy a photo to my device, extract text, and email it back to myself.

In searching for these apps however I could not find anything offered by Microsoft called "Scan Tools" beyond security scanning tools. Where are these apps documented, what are their real names? Then hopefully I can search for the same apps in the Office 365 Suite, app store, or online and find the desktop versions.

Windows for home | Other | Apps

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  1. Aymeric-B 29,265 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2024-01-18T20:08:28+00:00

    Hello ! I'm Aymeric, and I'm here to help !

    A new feature in the Windows 11 screen capture tool could be just what you need.

    Open the Snipping Tool or install it from the Microsoft Store, if you don't have it on your computer.

    Click on the “New” button and take your screenshot. Once done, the editing window will open : just click on the “Text actions” button (see the attached screenshot) and the text present on the screenshot will be highlighted by Windows, ready for copy and paste.

    Feel free to ask if you have any other question !

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-01-18T18:55:06+00:00

    This is less of an issue, I just remembered that in iOS I can natively copy text out of photos. Maybe that helps someone.

    Although it would be nice to have a desktop application.

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