Your phone can read text from the physical world instantly. Google Lens uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to extract text from books, signs, receipts, business cards, handwritten notes—anything with readable text. No typing required.
Most people only use Lens for product searches, but its text features are the real superpower.
How to Access Google Lens
On Android
- Open the Google app and tap the camera/Lens icon in the search bar
- Long-press an image in your gallery and select "Lens"
- Open Google Photos, select an image, and tap the Lens icon
- Some phones have Lens built into the camera app
On iPhone
- Download the Google app or Google Photos app
- Tap the Lens icon in the search bar
- Or use Lens within Google Photos on any saved image
On Desktop (Chrome)
- Right-click any image and select "Search image with Google Lens"
- Use the text selection tool to copy text from images
Text Extraction Features
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Copy Text
Point Lens at any text, tap "Text," and select the text you want. Tap "Copy" to add it to your clipboard. Works on printed text, books, documents, and even most handwriting.
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Copy to Computer
After selecting text, you can tap "Copy to computer" to paste it directly on a linked desktop Chrome browser. No manual transfer needed.
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Translate Text
Tap "Translate" to see real-time translation overlaid on the image. Supports 100+ languages. Perfect for menus, signs, and documents in foreign languages.
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Listen
Tap the speaker icon to hear the text read aloud. Useful for pronunciation or accessibility.
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Search
Select text and tap "Search" to Google it instantly. Great for unfamiliar words or phrases.
💡 Pro Tip: Works on Screenshots Too
Take a screenshot of text you can't select (like text in an image or video), then open it with Google Lens to copy the text. Works on memes, infographics, and error messages.
Practical Use Cases
Receipts and Expense Tracking
Snap a receipt, extract the text, and paste it directly into your expense tracker or spreadsheet. No manual data entry.
Business Cards
Scan a business card and Lens will identify name, phone, email, and address. Tap to add directly to your contacts.
Book Quotes
Reading a physical book and want to save a passage? Point Lens at the page, copy the text, and paste it into your notes app with proper formatting.
Handwritten Notes
Digitize handwritten notes by scanning them with Lens. The OCR works surprisingly well on legible handwriting.
Wi-Fi Passwords
Scan the Wi-Fi password printed on a router sticker. Copy it instead of typing a long random string.
Serial Numbers and Codes
Product serial numbers, software license keys, gift card codes—scan and copy to avoid typos.
Advanced Features
Handwriting Mode
Lens can convert handwritten text to typed text. The accuracy depends on handwriting legibility, but it handles cursive and print reasonably well.
Math Problem Solving
Point Lens at a math equation (printed or handwritten) and it can solve it step-by-step. Helpful for checking homework or understanding problem-solving approaches.
Multi-Language Detection
Lens automatically detects the language of text and can translate between any of its supported languages without you specifying the source language.
Text in Videos (Pause Method)
Pause a video on a frame with text, take a screenshot, then use Lens to extract the text. Works for extracting info from tutorials, presentations, or documentaries.
⚠️ Accuracy Notes
OCR isn't perfect. Always proofread extracted text, especially for important documents. Low lighting, unusual fonts, and poor image quality reduce accuracy.
Alternatives to Google Lens
- Apple Live Text (iOS 15+): Built into iPhone camera and photos, similar functionality
- Microsoft Lens: Excellent for document scanning with auto-crop and enhancement
- Adobe Scan: Professional-grade document scanning with OCR
- Samsung Bixby Vision: Built into Samsung phones, similar text extraction
Conclusion
Google Lens text extraction eliminates the friction between the physical and digital worlds. Instead of typing out book passages, receipts, signs, or notes, just point your camera and copy. It's one of those features that, once you start using, you'll wonder how you lived without.
Start with receipts or business cards—the immediate time savings make the feature click.