How to Extract Text (OCR) from Images

Overview

Zight gives you two ways to extract text from images, depending on where you are working:

• In the Zight Mac app: open an image preview and copy the detected text. This option is available to all Zight users on Mac.
• On the web: open the image in Zight and click Copy text. This option is available on Scale plans only.

This article focuses on the Mac app workflow first, then calls out the web option so it is clear which experience is plan-gated.

Extract text in the Zight Mac app

1. Take a screenshot. Capture the area that contains the text you want to copy.
2. Open the Zight Mac app. Locate the screenshot you captured.
3. Preview the screenshot. Hover over the screenshot and press the spacebar, or click the eye icon to preview it.
4. Copy the preview text. Use the text-copy options in the bottom-right corner to copy all detected text or select specific text.
5. Paste the text. Paste the copied text wherever you need it.

Extract text on the web

If you open the image in Zight on the web, you can use Copy text to extract OCR text there as well. This web-based OCR option is available on Scale plans only.

Tips and best practices

• Use clear, legible screenshots for best OCR results.
• Update the Zight Mac app regularly to get the latest improvements.

Troubleshooting

• OCR is not detecting text. Make sure the image quality is high and the text is not blurry or obscured.
• I do not see the Mac preview text option. Make sure you are previewing the image in the Zight Mac app.
• I do not see Copy text on the web. Confirm that your workspace is on a Scale plan.
• The app is not responding. Restart Zight and try again.

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