How to Extract Text from an Image into Google Docs™

You can extract text from an image by uploading it to Google Drive and opening it with Google Docs. That works for a quick one-off; when you want the text in the document you are already editing, use OCR inside Google Docs and review the result there.

A screenshot of a receipt, a scan of a handout, a whiteboard photo, or a phone image of notes does not need to become a retyping job.

Use Google Drive OCR

1. Upload the image to Google Drive.
2. Right-click it and select Open with > Google Docs.
3. Google opens a new document with the image and recognized text.
4. Copy, edit, and format the text you need.

This is convenient for simple printed prose, but it creates a separate document.

Extract Directly into Your Current Doc

1. Open the Google Doc where the editable text belongs.
2. Go to Extensions > Text To Table Converter > PDF & Image Tools > Extract Content from PDF or Image.
3. Add an image from Google Drive or your computer.
4. Run extraction and review the editable result in the document.

Make OCR More Accurate

• Use a sharp, well-lit image with the page filling most of the frame.
• Crop away shadows and background clutter.
• Keep the image upright.
• Verify unclear handwriting, names, figures, and dates.
• Extract a table as a table when rows and columns matter.

If the source is handwritten notes, our phone-camera meeting notes guide covers that workflow.

Get the Add-On

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Text To Table Converter

Put image text straight into Google Docs™: Install Text To Table Converter to extract editable content from photos, screenshots, scans, and PDFs without rebuilding it by hand.

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Related Reading

• Extract Content from PDF or Image - Complete OCR instructions.
• Extract a Table from a Screenshot or Image - For content that should become rows and columns.