Guide · Velvet Ring
How to copy text from an image or screenshot on Windows
Drag the picture, hold Shift, move outward and drop it on Copy text. Velvet reads the text with the recognition built into Windows – press Ctrl+V anywhere to paste it.
The usual ways – and their catch
- Typing it out. Fine for one line, not for a whole page.
- Phone camera apps. Can read text, but then you have to get it to the PC somehow.
- Online OCR sites. You upload screenshots that may contain private details.
Get the text out of a picture – the quick way with Velvet
- Start dragging the picture and hold Shift. A photo, screenshot or scan.
- Move outward and drop it on Copy text. Velvet reads the text.
- Paste with Ctrl+V. Into an email, a document, a chat – anywhere.
There's a QR code in the picture? Read QR copies what it says. For PDFs, use Copy text in the PDF ring.
Questions
Does it work offline?
Yes – it uses the text recognition built into Windows.
Which languages does it read?
The languages installed in Windows.
How do I copy text from a scanned PDF?
Drop the PDF on Copy text – scans are read too.
How to copy text from an image?
Drop the picture on Copy text, then Ctrl+V anywhere.
How to get text from a screenshot?
Same – Copy text reads screenshots too.
Try Velvet Ring in your browser
No install – sign a sample contract, stamp it or blur a number plate right on this site. Velvet is a small Windows app with 40+ actions like this one.