OCR / Live Text – copy text from screenshots

OCR (text recognition) in Cropy.it turns text inside an image into selectable, copyable text. So you can copy an error message, an address or a paragraph from a screenshot without retyping it. Recognition runs locally on your device — no upload, no cloud.

What is OCR in Cropy.it?

OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. Cropy.it uses the native Live Text engine of macOS to detect letters in a screenshot and turn them into real, selectable text.

Why does this feature exist?

Text inside an image normally can't be copied — you have to retype it. That's slow and error-prone, especially for long error messages, serial numbers or code. OCR fixes that: select, copy, done.

Typical use cases

• Copy an error message from a screenshot into a search or a ticket.
• Lift text from a photo, PDF or video still.
• Pull an address, IBAN or phone number out of an image.
• Copy code from a screenshot or screen share.

Step by step

1. Take a screenshot or open one in the editor.
2. Turn on text recognition — Cropy.it highlights detected text in the image.
3. Drag across the text you want to select it.
4. Copy the selection with ⌘C — it's now real text in your clipboard.

Tips & tricks

• The sharper the screenshot, the better the recognition — use the pixel loupe for small type while dragging.
• OCR detects multiple languages automatically; there's nothing to switch.
• Combine OCR with history: copied text stays searchable.

Common mistakes

• Too low resolution: heavily upscaled, blurry images hurt recognition — capture the original instead.
• Expecting handwriting: OCR targets printed/rendered type, not handwriting.

Frequently asked questions