Copy text from images on Firefox for MacOS

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  • Revision id: 249555
  • Created:
  • Creator: Fabi
  • Comment: Minor edit
  • Reviewed: No
  • Ready for localization: No
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Text Recognition allows you to extract text from a selected image on your current webpage. Whether it is a memorable caption in a meme or contact information in a screenshot event flyer, you can copy that text to share, store, or look up without needing to manually retype everything.

This feature is also compatible with VoiceOver, the built-in macOS screen reader.

At this time, this feature is only supported on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or higher.

Note: If you are using macOS 10.15 (Catalina), Text Recognition only supports English. However, if you are using macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or higher, Text Recognition is available in the following languages at different recognition levels:
  • More Accurate Recognition: English, Chinese, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish
  • Faster Recognition: English, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish

Using Text Recognition

To copy text from an image, simply right-click on it and select Copy Text from Image from the menu that appears.

Don't see the menu after right-clicking? Try holding Shift while right-clicking, or double-right-clicking on the image to bring it up.

Note: With this feature, you can copy text from any .jpg, .png, and .webp image. Please note that the “Copy Text from Image” command will not work on images that were intentionally designed to disable text copying.

CopyTextImageMacOS

Pop-up

Once you prompt Text Recognition from the menu, you will see a modal popup with a loading animation as Firefox analyzes the image.
MacOStextfromimage

It might take a few more seconds for the feature to load if there’s longer, more complex text in the image you selected.

TextfromImageScrollbar

The feature automatically copies all of the extracted text to your clipboard. However, if you’d like to copy only a portion of the text, you will be able to select, highlight, and copy your preferred excerpt with command + C.

To close the modal, you can either click on the Close button or press Esc.

Data collection

Note that for Text Recognition, we won’t collect any of your personal data apart from the following:

  1. Whether or not you prompt the feature via the context menu
  2. Whether or not you use a screen reader for the feature.

Screen Reader

Text Recognition is compatible with VoiceOver, so once you prompt the feature, the modal will be read as usual by the screen reader. See Accessibility features in Firefox for more information. ScreenreaderMacOS

Troubleshooting

As Text Recognition is a work in progress, you may encounter some text errors if the image has more complex text or is incompatible with the built-in macOS service.

If Text Recognition does not work, you will see an error message in the pop-up.

If you encounter any errors with the feature, please file a bug on Bugzilla and try the feature on another image. We hope to improve Text Recognition based on your feedback.