Screenshot OCR: extract text from screenshots

Extract and copy text

1. Choose OCR capture mode.
2. Select the area containing the text.
3. Let Lumshot recognize the text.
4. Copy the extracted result into your work.

Copy unselectable text from your screen

Reuse application error messages, code snippets, text in documents and content from website screenshots. Choose OCR capture when the text cannot be selected normally. This is a desktop screen OCR workflow, rather than an online image-converter service.

Review the extracted result before relying on it. Small text, low contrast and unusual layouts can make recognition harder; no accuracy percentage or language count is promised.

Extract an error message from a screenshot

Select the error text closely enough to avoid unrelated controls, recognize it and copy the result. Check punctuation, file paths and identifiers against the original before searching, debugging or adding it to a report.

In a developer screenshot workflow, keep the image for visual context and use the verified text for exact wording. If your coding assistant needs to see the interface, use screenshot to Cursor alongside the copied message.

Processing stays local

OCR runs on your device. Your capture is not uploaded to Lumshot servers for text recognition.

Use the recognized text in your next step

Paste the checked result into your editor, document or Jira report. If you paste text or an image into an external AI conversation, the selected service receives that content. Local OCR does not make subsequent sharing local.

For screenshot images instead of extracted text, see AI Auto Paste. For long context, see the scrolling screenshot tool.

Screenshot-to-text questions

Is OCR included in the free screenshot app?

OCR requires Pro. Free includes screenshot capture and annotation with a watermark; see the plan comparison.

Can I use OCR on Windows and Mac?

Lumshot has downloads for Windows 10 (64-bit) or later and macOS 12 or later. Linux is not released. Choose your platform before installing.

Should I use OCR or copy an image?

Use OCR when you need editable or searchable text. Use a screenshot when layout, controls or surrounding visual context are part of the question.