Supporting Scribble to Text?

Question

Hi there,

I hope this message finds you well. I was reaching out to ask if Excel can or will eventually support Scribble to Text. I use multiple devices at my job and would love the ability to write within Excel cells and it convert to text.

I understand if this isn’t a possibility but thought I would give it a shot. I absolutely love all of the Microsoft apps, they are so user-friendly and smooth running! A way to convert my writing to text would just be the cherry on top! :)

Thank you!

Answer 1

Dear @Kacey Pitts, 

Thank you for reaching out Q&A forum! 

We appreciate your kind words for Microsoft Office.  

Based on our research, The Scribble to text for iPad is available on Office apps – Word, Excel or PowerPoint. With an Apple Pencil, you can insert and edit text directly in your Excel worksheet. You will see the Scribble Pen icon appears on the Draw tab of each app.    

Please note that when using Scribble, you will need the following: 

• This tool is available for an iPad with iPadOS 14 and later which along with an Apple Pencil. 
• For three Office mobile apps - Word, PowerPoint, Excel.  
• This feature is available to Office Insiders running Version 2.64 (Build 22080100) or later. 

 You can find this information in this link: Convert handwriting to text with Scribble in Office mobile apps on iPad

 Could you give it a try and see if you can find the tool on your iPad? 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at your convenience. 

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Answer 2

I think the answer is, "it depends." For example, right now scribble to text works in PowerPoint but not Excel for Mac. This is a relatively new feature which is being rolled out across many "end-points." I encourage you to test after installing updates on your favorite platform. If it's not available yet, use the Feedback option and send a suggestion for your platform.

Answer 3

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughtful message — and it's great to hear how much you enjoy using Microsoft apps! 😊

✍️ Scribble to Text in Excel (Handwriting Recognition)

Currently, Excel for Windows (Microsoft 365) does not natively support Scribble-to-Text (i.e., converting handwritten input into text directly inside a cell using tools like Apple Pencil or a stylus) in the same seamless way that OneNote or Word does.

However, here’s what’s currently possible and what may be coming:

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✅ Current Options:

1. Ink to Text (in Word & OneNote)

Word and OneNote support "Ink to Text" using the Draw tab.

Unfortunately, Excel does not support this inside cells, though you can use inking to annotate over a sheet.

2. Workaround (Using OneNote or Word)

You can write in OneNote with your stylus → convert to text → then copy/paste into Excel.

This provides similar functionality until Excel fully integrates this natively.

3. Touch and Stylus Input

Excel on touch-enabled Windows devices (e.g., Surface) allows inking via the Draw tab.

However, it’s mostly annotation — not in-cell text conversion.

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💡 Will Excel Support Scribble to Text in the Future?

Microsoft hasn't officially announced Scribble-to-Text in Excel cells, but given the growing focus on pen/stylus input across the Microsoft ecosystem (especially with Copilot and AI integrations), this is a reasonable feature to expect in future updates.

You can help increase visibility by:

✅ Submitting feedback directly through Excel:

Go to File > Feedback > Suggest a Feature

• Or use Alt + F + KHi there, Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughtful message — and it's great to hear how much you enjoy using Microsoft apps! 😊 ✍️ Scribble to Text in Excel (Handwriting Recognition) Currently, Excel for Windows (Microsoft 365) does not natively support Scribble-to-Text (i.e., converting handwritten input into text directly inside a cell using tools like Apple Pencil or a stylus) in the same seamless way that OneNote or Word does. However, here’s what’s currently possible and what may be coming: ✅ Current Options:
  1. Ink to Text (in Word & OneNote)
  • Word and OneNote support "Ink to Text" using the Draw tab.
  • Unfortunately, Excel does not support this inside cells, though you can use inking to annotate over a sheet.
  2. Workaround (Using OneNote or Word)
  • You can write in OneNote with your stylus → convert to text → then copy/paste into Excel.
  • This provides similar functionality until Excel fully integrates this natively.
  3. Touch and Stylus Input
  • Excel on touch-enabled Windows devices (e.g., Surface) allows inking via the Draw tab.
  • However, it’s mostly annotation — not in-cell text conversion.
  💡 Will Excel Support Scribble to Text in the Future? Microsoft hasn't officially announced Scribble-to-Text in Excel cells, but given the growing focus on pen/stylus input across the Microsoft ecosystem (especially with Copilot and AI integrations), this is a reasonable feature to expect in future updates. You can help increase visibility by: ✅ Submitting feedback directly through Excel:
  • Go to File > Feedback > Suggest a Feature
  • Or use Alt + F + K