Handwriting to Text

How to convert handwriting to text (3 steps)

1. ChooseTake a photo of your handwritten note with your phone, then drop it onto the "Drop a photo of handwriting here, or click to choose" box or click to pick it. On a computer you can also paste with Ctrl+V (⌘+V on Mac).
2. See the resultReading starts automatically once the photo loads. The first time, the text recognition model (about 30 MB) is downloaded, so it takes a little longer.
3. Fix and exportWhen the text appears, fix any misread characters in place, then use "Copy text" or "Save as .txt".

Tips for photographing handwritten notes

Shoot in good light without shadows

Where the shadow of your hand or phone falls on the writing, words get missed. Shoot somewhere bright, from an angle that keeps shadows off the page.

Shoot from directly above, filling the frame

Shooting at an angle squashes the far lines and makes them hard to read. Hold the phone directly above the page, close enough that the writing fills the frame. Small tilts are corrected automatically.

Dark pen reads better than light pencil

Light pencil and thin pens blend into the paper. If you are writing a note you plan to scan, a dark ballpoint or felt-tip pen gives better results.

One page at a time, just the part you need

For a two-page spread or a page that mixes drawings and text, crop to just the part you want first so stray marks are not picked up.

What it reads well and what it struggles with

This is a lightweight version that runs only in your browser. How well it reads depends heavily on how the note was written.

Always check the result and fix any mistakes before using it.

Reads well

Neat writing with clearly separated letters (notes, notebooks, lists); horizontal lines of text that stay level; numbers, block capitals and phone numbers.

Struggles with

Joined-up cursive, scribbles and rushed writing; vertical Japanese text (postcards, letters); faint pencil, or writing that overlaps ruled lines or drawings.

Handwriting to text FAQ

Is this handwriting to text tool free?

Yes. There is no sign-up, no login and no usage limit. There is no app to install either; it runs in your browser.

Are my photos uploaded to a server?

No. Text detection and recognition both run entirely inside your browser. The only network request is the one-time download of the text recognition model (about 30 MB). Neither your photo nor the extracted text is sent anywhere.

Can it read any handwriting?

Neat, horizontal handwriting with clearly separated letters is usually read well. Joined-up cursive, scribbles and vertical Japanese text are often misread or missed. Always check the result and fix any mistakes before using it.

Can I take a photo on my phone and use it right away?

Yes. Open this page in your phone's browser and pick the photo you took. If an iPhone photo in HEIC format will not load, convert it with the HEIC to JPG/PNG/WebP converter first.

Does it read Japanese handwriting too?

Yes. It reads Japanese and English, including notes that mix both. With English cursive, spaces between words can go missing and similar-looking letters can be confused.

What should I do if the result has mistakes?

The "Recognized text (editable)" box can be edited, so fix any misread characters before copying or saving. If there are many mistakes, retake the photo in good light from directly above the page, or crop to just the part you need.