How to Extract Text from Screenshots on Mac with OCR

Use OCR on a Mac screenshot and copy the text, instead of retyping what is in the picture.

OCR on a screenshot reads the words in the picture and lets you paste them. Shoverlay can do that after you have taken the shot, and it can also copy text straight from the screen when you do not need to keep an image.

Extract text from a screenshot you already have

Take the screenshot, or reopen one from History.
On Quick Access, run OCR on that image.
Paste the text into a note, a message, or a search field.

Use this when you want both the picture and the words. A dialog you will file, plus the error sentence you will paste somewhere else, is the usual case.

Skip the image if you only need the words

Choose OCR from the menu or the All-In-One picker and drag around the text on screen. Shoverlay copies the words without making you save a screenshot. Screen Recording permission is still required, because the app has to see the screen.

When the text comes out wrong

Recognition follows what is visible. Blurry type, very small text, or a line that is partly covered will come through poorly. Zoom the content, or capture a tighter screenshot, and run OCR again. The text stays on your Mac with the capture. Shoverlay does not upload it.

This is for words on a Mac screen. A printed table you want as Excel cells is a different job, on iPhone or iPad, in Tablune.

Install Shoverlay on the Mac App Store.