In this article we will show you how enable or disable automatic image scanning for text in the Photos app on a Windows 11/10 PC. Microsoft recently announced a new update for the Photos app that introduces Optical Character Recognition (OCR)) capabilities for all Windows 11/10 PCs, allowing users to extract text from images directly in the application.

The OCR feature makes the Photos app more functional for personal and professional use. It is controlled by a specific parameter called ‘Automatically scan images for text‘ which can be enabled or disabled based on user preferences or requirements. When enabled, the setting allows the Photos app to automatically detect and recognize text in images, such as photos of documents, handwritten notes, or other visual content, without the need for third-party tools.

Enable or disable automatic image scanning for text in the Photos app

In the following sections, we will show you how enable or disable “automatic scanning of images for text” in the Microsoft Photos app. However, before that, please note that the update is currently released only for Windows Insiders but will be available to everyone soon. So update the Photos app first.

Enable automatic image scanning for text in the Photos app

The OCR function is active by default in the Microsoft Photos app. This means that when you view an image, the application will automatically detect any text present and make it available for copying without requiring any additional action.

To confirm this, open an image containing text. Wait a moment to see if the app automatically detects the text. Look for the OCR icon at the bottom of the image.
If text is detected, you should be able to select and copy it.

To copy the entire text to your clipboard, click the button Copy all text button at the bottom.

To copy part of the identified text, highlight the specific part by clicking and dragging it. Then right-click and select the Copy text option.

You can now paste the copied text into any application (such as Word, Notepad, etc.) using “Ctrl + V” or right-click and select Stick.

Turn off automatic image scanning for text in the Photos app

If you prefer not to have the app actively search for text in every image you open, you can turn off the “Automatically scan images for text” option.

Click on the To start menu and search for ‘Pictures‘ to open the application. In the Photos app, click the icon Settings icon (gear) in the upper right corner.

On the Settings page, look for the ‘Automatically scan images for text‘ option under the Personalization section. Toggle the switch next to this option to Disabled position to turn off the OCR feature in the Photos app.

You can re-enable the feature at any time by following the same steps and returning the setting to “Enabled”.

Read: How to Add Favorites to the Photos App on Windows.

How to scan an image for text?

You can use the Microsoft Photos app to scan an image for text. Open the app and select the image you want to scan. Wait a moment for the app to automatically detect the text. Once detected, you can select and copy the text to your clipboard directly from the application.

Is there an app to scan image to text?

Yes, there are several online and offline applications to scan images to text on Windows PCs. The Microsoft Photos app includes an OCR feature that lets you directly extract text from images. Microsoft OneNote has built-in OCR features for images inserted in notes. Other free software, like Capture2Textcan also be installed on Windows for quick image to text conversion.

Read next: Best Free OCR Software for Windows.