How to turn JPG images into text (and why the result is sometimes messy)
What JPG to text conversion can do, where it trips up, and how to set up your photos so the result is clean.
IMAGE → TEXT · OCR WORKBENCH
Image to text, straight from the picture.
Drop a photo of a receipt, a screenshot, or a scanned PDF into the workbench. The text comes back in seconds — clean, copyable, and ready to paste.
- 100+ languages
- 30+ formats + PDF
- 10 files at once
- Files deleted after processing
OCR workbench
system ready
Drop files here, click to browse, or press Ctrl+V to paste
30+ image formats and PDF · up to 10 files per batch
Your queue is empty — add files above to get started.
0 / 10 files
Files are sent over an encrypted connection and deleted from the server right after the task finishes. No account needed.
Some files didn't convert. The error under each file usually tells the story — very low-quality scans and handwriting are the most common culprits. If the service itself is unreachable, give it a minute and try again.
01 — WHY THIS TOOL
Why use totxt.org for image to text conversion
The short version: it's fast, it handles the formats people actually have, and it gets out of your way.
100+ languages
English, German, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and well over a hundred more. Pick a language or let the tool guess. Right-to-left scripts are handled too.
30+ image formats, plus PDF
JPG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, BMP, TIFF, HEIC, AVIF, SVG, and quite a few camera RAW formats. Scanned PDFs get run through OCR page by page.
Batch convert up to 10 files
Drop a folder of screenshots and walk away. Each file gets its own result, ready to copy or download as a .txt file.
Built for your privacy
Encrypted transfer end to end, and files are removed from the server the moment the task completes. Prefer extra caution? Blur sensitive spots with the mask tool first.
02 — USE CASES
Where an image to text converter actually saves time
Nobody converts images for fun. These are the jobs people come to totxt.org for.
Screenshot to text
You need an error message, a code snippet, or a quote out of a screenshot. Tabs of it, paste it into your search bar or your notes, done — no retyping.
Receipts and invoices
Photo a paper receipt with your phone, convert it to text, and paste the total into your expense tracker. Same idea works for invoices and bank statements.
Scanned PDFs
That scan-only PDF where Ctrl+F finds nothing? Run it through here and the text becomes searchable. Handy for old manuals and archive scans.
Textbook pages and slides
Snap a page of a textbook or a lecture slide, extract the text, and paste it into your own notes instead of typing it out character by character.
03 — HOW IT WORKS
Three steps, none of them annoying
Add your files
Drop up to 10 images or PDFs onto the box, or paste one straight from your clipboard.
Mask anything sensitive (optional)
Every file has a Mask button. Blur or paint over names, numbers, addresses — only the masked version is uploaded.
Convert and copy
Text comes back in a few seconds. Copy it, download it as .txt, or edit it right in the result box.
05 — FAQ
Questions people actually ask
Short answers, no fine print.
Is this image to text converter really free?
Yes, the tool is free to use and needs no account. There's no trial, no sign-up, and no credit card. I'm not going to promise it stays free forever — running a converter costs something — but if that ever changes, the page will say so plainly.
What happens to my files after I convert them?
Your file is sent over an encrypted connection, the text is extracted, and the file is deleted from the server as soon as the task finishes. Nothing is kept, cached, or reused. Want extra caution? Blur sensitive parts with the mask tool before uploading.
Which image formats are supported?
More than 30 image formats — JPG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, BMP, TIFF, HEIC, AVIF, SVG, and several camera RAW formats — plus PDF. Multi-page PDFs are processed page by page. The full list is on the formats page.
How many files can I convert at once?
Up to 10 in one batch. Each file gets its own result, so you can drop a folder of screenshots and pick out the text you need.
How accurate is the extracted text?
It depends more on the image than the engine. Clean, straight-on, well-lit text usually converts close to perfectly. Handwriting, glare, shadows, or very low resolution cause mistakes — no magic there. The accuracy article covers what helps and what doesn't.
Can I hide sensitive parts of an image before uploading?
Yes. Every file has a Mask button that opens a small editor. Paint or blur over anything you don't want seen — names, numbers, addresses — and only the masked version gets uploaded.
Do I need an account to use totxt.org?
No. No registration, no email, nothing to install. Open the page and convert.
06 — FROM THE BLOG
Practical notes on OCR
Written because these questions kept coming up.
How to extract text from an image: screenshots, phone photos, and scanned PDFs
The three most common situations, and the fastest way to handle each one without retyping.
Why OCR accuracy varies between images (and what actually helps)
Real experience from real uploads: what makes recognition fail, and the five fixes that actually work.
Stop retyping. Start converting.
Grab a screenshot or a photo of that page, drop it in, and copy the text out in seconds.
Convert an image now