Google Lens has just got better with its new text recognition feature. While it’s more like an OCR scanner, this new update can even recognize the handwritten texts, which can be copy/pasted into any document as computerized text. While this new feature helps a lot, it still has more room to improve.
Google Lens is already capable of a lot of things. Pointing at an object through Google Lens will search for relative items in Google and show you results. While it’s often used for object identification purposes, some use it to get additional information on a subject too. And now, it’s even helpful for those working with texts all day.
The new support for handwritten text recognition will help students to make up their notes. Provided that, the handwritten text should be clear. So, unless you’re having bad handwriting, you can scan, select and copy the text from a book, picture, or notes and paste it into any other document as you like.
Also Read: Next ASUS ROG Phone will come pre-installed with Google Stadia
To do this, navigate to Google Photos App and take a picture of any handwritten or printed text you like. It will read and come up with any corresponding results in seconds. But at the same time, it also allows you to select and copy the text too.
Just hover on the picture and press and hold to select the text. You’ll be shown a Copy Text option below after selecting the text. Copy to clipboard and paste it elsewhere.
While you can install the standalone Google Lens app from the Playstore/Appstore, reduce the burden on your phones as it’s already available by default in Google Photos app. If not this, there’s another way to do this.
If you’re having a setup of both computer and your phone connected to the internet, you can scan the text in the Google Lens app from the phone and copy that to Google Docs on your computer. However, copying text to your computer requires the latest version of Google Chrome and both devices must be signed into the same Google account.
This would further enable you to have some added features like, you can listen to any of the highlighted text and even get a one-liner explanation if you’re on Chrome. All these will be helpful in homework, and is a better way of learning.
In a blog post dated May 7, Lou Wang, Google’s Product Manager said “You can already use Lens to quickly copy and paste text from paper notes and documents to your phone to save time. Now, when you select text with Lens, you can tap “copy to computer” to quickly paste it on another signed-in device with Chrome. This is great for quickly copying handwritten notes (if you write neatly!) and pasting it on your laptop without having to retype them all”
More to read:
- PUBG now available on Google Stadia
- Google retrieves popular Google Doodle Games to help you pass time amid lockdown
- Google planning its own chipset for future Pixels phones
- Google Maps turns 15, gets new logo and features as gift
