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OCR / Screenshot Reader

Extract text from images, screenshots, videos, and PDFs. Copy it, hear it read aloud, or open it in Immersive Reader.

After OCR / Screenshot Reader was enabled
Before OCR / Screenshot Reader was enabled

Renamed in Helperbird 2026.7.28: Extract text (OCR) is now called the Screenshot Reader. It now reads equations automatically alongside ordinary text in the same capture — there is no separate maths mode to switch on — and each capture goes to a single destination you choose rather than to several at once.

Get Text Out of Images

See text in an image you can't select? A screenshot, a PDF scan, a photo of a document? Helperbird can extract it.

Draw a box around the area, and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) converts the image into actual text you can copy, read aloud, or use however you need.

Learn how to extract text from images

  • PDF Reader - Use all Helperbird tools on PDF documents with full accessibility support.
  • Text to Speech - Listen to extracted text read aloud in your preferred voice.
  • Printing Tool - Print extracted text in a clean, formatted layout.

What You Can Do With Extracted Text

Copy to clipboard: Paste it into a document, email, or anywhere else.

Read aloud: Have Helperbird speak the text using text-to-speech.

Open in Immersive Reader: View and customize the text in a clean, distraction-free format.

Save as a note: Keep it in Helperbird for later reference.


Where This Works

  • Images on websites: Text in photos, infographics, or screenshots
  • PDF scans: Scanned documents that aren't searchable
  • Video frames: Pause a video and extract visible text
  • Screenshots: Anything you can see on your screen

Who Uses This

Students extracting text from textbook images or lecture slides.

Researchers pulling quotes from scanned academic papers.

Professionals digitizing text from printed documents.

Anyone who needs to copy text that's trapped in an image.


Is This Free?

OCR / Screenshot Reader is a Pro feature in Helperbird.

More writing features

A truly great extension! We installed this on all of our 200 Chromebooks across the 3 special schools i work in and it has greatly helped our students use technology to learn. It not only helps our dyslexic learners, but also our autistic and ADHD students by helping remove distractions and making the web a more accessible place. Support is fast and efficient, and updates are very regular with new features constantly being added!

Josh Sharrad
Josh Sharrad
Helperbird user
Helperbird logo: Stylized owl with large yellow eyes and a beige face, against a green background.

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