How to extract text from an image in OneNote

OneNote includes a powerful feature that lets you extract text from image files using built-in OCR (Optical Character Recognition). OCR is a great way to avoid having to retype text from printed materials such as a magazine or book.

This feature works best when working with OneNote for iOS or Android as it allows you to add an image directly into a OneNote Notebook where OneNote can then use OCR to extract the text. It allows me to insert content, links and photos into pages in my OneNote Notebooks without having to email the file to myself first. I can then open the Notebook on my computer and voila, the picture is shown in the Notebook (once the files have synchronised).

Extract text from existing image

If you already have an image which contains text, you can immediately insert it into OneNote and have OneNote extract the text. For this exercise I have taken a photo of some text from a cooking magazine and have saved it to my computer.

1. Open OneNote desktop app. If you don’t have OneNote installed, you can download it from the Microsoft website.
2. Open the Notebook you want to add the picture/text to and select the section/page to insert it:

3. Select the Insert tab from the Ribbon.
4. Choose Pictures then From File.
5. Locate the picture file and select it then click Open

6. Select the image and choose Insert
7. The picture will be added to the page

Insert a picture from smartphone

If you do not have the image on your computer, you can easily use your phone to take the picture and upload it directly to OneNote.

1. Open the OneNote app on your smartphone
2. Open the Notebook you want to add the picture/text to
3. Click into the page area so the editing tools appear
4. Click the Insert Picture button

5. Choose to either take a picture with your camera or choose an image from your phone photos
6. Take the photo with your phone, or select the picture from your photos
7. The picture will be added to the page.

Copy text from picture

Now we want to use the OCR functionality to extract the text out of the picture and make it edible within the page. This part will only work in the OneNote app (OneNote 2016) and not via the app on your phone.

1. Right mouse click on the picture within OneNote
2. Choose Copy Text from Picture

3. Click on a blank area of the page and right mouse click and choose Paste or press Ctrl + V on the keyboard
4. The text from the picture will now be pasted into the page ready for you to edit.

5. You can now edit the text as needed.

Hopefully this has given you a glimpse into one of the many wonderful features of OneNote. Be sure to check out some of my other OneNote posts or comment below with any questions.