How to Convert Images to Editable Text in Microsoft Word

Converting images containing text into editable Word documents can be extremely useful. It allows you to reuse and edit content from scanned documents, screenshots, photos, PDF files, and more. However, manually retyping all the text is time-consuming and prone to errors.

In this article, we will show you how to easily convert images to editable text in Microsoft Word using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

• Microsoft Word 2016 or above
• The image(s) containing text you want to convert
• (Optional) Microsoft OneNote if you want to use its built-in OCR capabilities

Method 1: Use Microsoft Word’s Convert to Text Option

Microsoft Word has a built-in feature that allows you to convert images containing text into editable Word documents. Here is how to use it:

1. Open the image file in Microsoft Word.
2. Select the image and go to the “Insert” tab.
3. Click on “Text from File” under the “Text” group.
4. Word will automatically detect text in the image using OCR technology and convert it into an editable Word document.
5. The text may contain inaccuracies. Review and edit the text as needed.

This method works best with clear images with good contrast.

Method 2: Copy-Paste Image Text Using Microsoft OneNote

If the above method does not give accurate results, you can leverage OneNote’s OCR capabilities:

1. Open the image file in Microsoft OneNote
2. Right-click on the image and select “Copy Text from Picture”
3. This extracts text from the image and copies it to your clipboard
4. Paste the copied text into a Word document
5. Review and edit the pasted text as needed

OneNote’s OCR technology can handle low-quality images better in some cases.

Method 3: Use a Third-Party OCR Tool

For best results, especially with complex image files, use a dedicated OCR software tool. Here are some good options:

ABBYY FineReader

ABBYY FineReader has powerful OCR technology that can convert both images and PDF files into Word documents with high accuracy.

To use it:

1. Open ABBYY and click “New Task”
2. Import the image file
3. Click “Convert to Word” and export the Word file when prompted
4. Open the Word file and review the extracted text

ABBYY also allows batch conversion of multiple images.

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Adobe Acrobat Pro has built-in OCR capabilities via the “Recognize Text” tool:

1. Open the image PDF in Acrobat
2. Go to the “Tools” pane and select “Recognize Text” > “In This File”
3. Acrobat will start the OCR process automatically
4. Save the PDF, which now has selectable and editable text
5. Export or copy-paste text from PDF to Word as needed

It also supports batch OCR conversions.

Online OCR Tools

There are many free online OCR tools like Imagetotext.info, OnlineOCR.net, etc. These are easy to use but accuracy varies.

Upload the image > Extract text > Copy text into Word > Review and edit

Tips for Best Results

Follow these tips when converting images to text for maximum accuracy:

• Use high-quality images and proper lighting whenever possible
• For screenshots, increase OS scaling to make text larger
• Use high DPI scans (600+ dpi) when scanning documents
• Process one image at a time for best results
• Always review and correct any conversion inaccuracies manually

Conclusion

Converting images containing text to editable Word documents is simple using the inbuilt feature in Microsoft Word. For more complex images, leveraging OneNote’s OCR capabilities or dedicated OCR software gets better text extraction results.

With accurate OCR conversions, you can save hours of manual retyping efforts. This enables faster document processing and content reuse.

We hope this guide helped you learn how to effectively convert images to editable text using Microsoft Word. Let us know if you have any other questions!