---
title: How to Copy Text From Images, Screenshots and PDFs | Relic
description: How to pull editable text out of images, screenshots and PDFs using OCR, on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, including scanned and locked files.
canonical: https://relic.space/blog/topics/copy-from-images
source: https://relic.space/llms.txt
---
Topic

# Copying text from images and PDFs

Text inside a picture, a screenshot or a flattened PDF is not really stuck. Optical character recognition can lift it out, and these pages show how on every device, including the tricky scanned and locked files.

Start here

[Pillar·8 minHow to copy text from an image, screenshot or PDFText trapped in a picture or a flattened PDF is not really stuck. Optical character recognition can lift it out on any device, including scans that refuse to select.Read ](https://relic.space/blog/how-to-copy-text-from-an-image-or-pdf)

In this topic

[7 minSnipping Tool for Mac: what to use insteadSnipping Tool is Windows only, but every Mac has its own version built in. The shortcuts, the Screenshot app, screen recording, and what each Snipping Tool feature is called on a Mac.Read ](https://relic.space/blog/snipping-tool-for-mac)[8 minHow to copy text from a PDFA normal PDF lets you select and copy like any document. A scanned or locked one needs a different approach. Both kinds handled, on desktop and phone.Read ](https://relic.space/blog/how-to-copy-text-from-a-pdf)[7 minHow to copy text from a pictureYour phone can already read the words inside a photo, you just have to know where to tap. Copying text from a picture on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac.Read ](https://relic.space/blog/how-to-copy-text-from-a-picture)[6 minHow to copy text from a scanned or locked PDFA scanned PDF is really a photo of a page, and a locked one blocks copy on purpose. Pulling the text out of each, using OCR and a couple of safe workarounds.Read ](https://relic.space/blog/how-to-copy-text-from-a-scanned-or-locked-pdf)[6 minHow to extract text from a screenshotA screenshot looks like a dead end if you need the words inside it, but it is not. Extracting text from a screenshot on every device, and copying it out.Read ](https://relic.space/blog/how-to-extract-text-from-a-screenshot)