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How Do You Convert An Image To Text In Photoshop?

Published Aug 29, 2025 4 min read
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It is not possible to directly convert a rasterized image file into editable text within Photoshop, as the software lacks built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) functionality.

A rasterized image is composed of pixels, not letters and numbers, so the program cannot differentiate between image data and alphanumeric characters.

However, there are several effective workarounds using other Adobe products, third-party software, or online tools that integrate with your workflow.

The Photoshop limitation explained

The confusion often arises because Photoshop can work with text layers. But that's only for text created directly within Photoshop using the Type tool. Once a text layer is "rasterized" (converted to pixels), or if the image with text was always a pixel-based format like a JPEG, it can no longer be edited as text in Photoshop. The software sees it as a graphic element, not a set of editable characters.

The recommended solution: Use Adobe Acrobat for OCR

For Adobe users, the most seamless and integrated solution is to leverage the optical character recognition features available in Adobe Acrobat.

Step-by-step process using Adobe Acrobat

  1. Open the image in Acrobat. Open your JPEG, PNG, or other image file with Adobe Acrobat Pro. If it's a multi-page document, convert it to a PDF first using Acrobat's online PDF converter.
  2. Run the OCR tool. In Acrobat, navigate to the Tools menu and select Scan & OCR.
  3. Recognize text in the file. Choose the "In This File" option and click the "Recognize Text" button.
  4. Edit the document. After Acrobat processes the image and applies the OCR, you can click the "Edit PDF" tool in the right pane.
  5. Copy the text. The recognized text is now selectable and editable. You can highlight it, copy it to your clipboard, and paste it back into a new text layer in your Photoshop file.

Alternative methods for extracting text

1. Adobe Scan mobile app

For a quick, on-the-go solution, use the free Adobe Scan mobile app.

  1. Capture the image. Use the app to take a picture of your document or graphic containing the text you need.
  2. Automatically process the image. Adobe Scan uses OCR to recognize the text, which you can then access from your Adobe Document Cloud storage.
  3. Save and retrieve. Save your scan as a PDF. You can then open the PDF on your desktop and copy the text for use in Photoshop.

2. Google Drive and Google Docs

Google Drive offers a simple and free OCR solution for any user with a Google account.

  1. Upload the file. Log into your Google Drive and upload your image file.
  2. Convert with Google Docs. Right-click the image file in your Drive, select Open with, and choose Google Docs.
  3. Extract the text. Google Docs will automatically convert the image to a document, placing the extracted, editable text below the original image. You can then copy and paste this text into Photoshop.

3. macOS Preview

If you're a Mac user, you can use the built-in Preview app for a fast, no-cost solution.

  1. Open the image. Open your image in the Preview app.
  2. Select the text. Highlight the text you want to copy by clicking and dragging your cursor over it.
  3. Copy and paste. Use Cmd + C to copy the selected text and Cmd + V to paste it into a new text layer in Photoshop.

4. Third-party and online OCR services

Numerous free and paid online services offer OCR capabilities if you don't want to use Adobe's or a system's built-in tools.

  • Online OCR platforms: Websites like Online OCR and OCR.Space provide quick, browser-based tools. Simply upload your image, and the service will extract the text for you to copy.
  • Dedicated software: For more advanced needs, dedicated software like ABBYY FineReader provides high-accuracy OCR, especially for complex documents.

Tips for best results

  • Improve image clarity: For any OCR method, the quality of your image is paramount. Ensure the text is clear, well-lit, and in high resolution before processing.
  • Choose the right method: If you need to process large batches of high-quality documents, Acrobat is the most efficient and accurate option. For a quick one-off text extraction, the macOS Preview or Google Docs method may be faster.
  • Proofread everything: No OCR tool is 100% perfect, and errors are especially common with fancy fonts, low-quality images, or handwritten text. Always proofread the extracted text for accuracy.
  • Expect to reformat: The extracted text will lose its original formatting, so be prepared to re-apply font styles, sizes, and spacing in Photoshop.
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