There are a lot of underutilized technologies in common PC apps that are really useful once you discover them. One on my list is Object Character Recognition (OCR) technology.
You’ll find OCR in Google Docs, for example, which makes the app ideal for converting handwriting to text on your PC.
I’ve started using it to create text versions of handwritten notes I’ve just scribbled down on scraps of paper, so that I can share them with family and friends. But any kind of handwritten notes can be converted in Google Docs, whether they be letters, family recipes, or even your weekly shopping list.
In this “how to” I’m going to show you how to convert a handwritten note of a list of party supplies to text in just three simple steps.
What to do:
- Scan a handwritten document with your chosen smartphone app. Adobe Scan or Office Lens are two possibilities.
- Upload the image from your smartphone to Google Drive and open Google Drive on your PC.
- Then all you have to do is right click on the uploaded image and select Open With > Google Docs. This will automatically open the image and will make a copy of the text in the image beneath it. You can then delete the image if you don’t need it and just use the text.
Katherine Stevenson
Note: The handwriting usually converts as text with formatting all askew, so you’re going to want to format the text afterwards. Then what you do with your document is up to you; you might like to copy and paste it into Microsoft Word for more editing.
That’s all for this tip. Be sure to sign up to the Try This newsletter to receive more of these tips delivered to your inbox twice per week. PCWorld sends out a bunch of other newsletters too, so be sure to browse the list and opt-in to any that you like.
