How to extract text from a screenshot on Mac (OCR)
Some text on screen cannot be selected — it lives in an image, a video frame or a web page that blocks copying. On a Mac you have two ways to turn it into editable text: the built-in Live Text, or a dedicated OCR screenshot tool.
Option 1: macOS Live Text
- Take a screenshot with ⇧⌘4 and open it in Preview or Photos.
- Hover over the text until the cursor changes, drag to select, then ⌘C.
Fine for occasional use. The downsides: you have to save and open the file first, recognition is only average on dense layouts, tiny text or mixed languages, and translating means switching to another app.
Option 2: Shotora OCR capture (select and it is done)
Shotora turns OCR into a capture mode: no file to save — the moment you release the selection, the text is already in your clipboard.
- Press the OCR capture shortcut (⌘⇧⌃S by default, changeable in Settings) or choose “OCR capture” from the menu bar.
- Select the area that contains the text and release.
- The recognized text appears in the OCR panel and is copied automatically — just ⌘V elsewhere.
- Click “Translate” (Youdao or the system translator) or “AI Translate” when you need it. A single English word shows phonetics, definitions and examples directly.
Getting better accuracy
- Select only the text; leave icons and borders out.
- Zoom the page (⌘+) before capturing tiny text — accuracy improves noticeably.
- Vertical, handwritten or decorative fonts are unreliable for any OCR engine.
FAQ
Does OCR need an internet connection?
No. Recognition runs locally. Only when you use translation or AI translation is the recognized text sent to the service you chose.
Which languages are recognized?
Common languages including English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean, including mixed-language text.
Is OCR free?
Yes. The free tier of Shotora includes OCR capture, annotation and pinning with no usage limits.
Capture & annotate free forever · Pro $3.99/yr or $9.99 lifetime · macOS 14+