Gone are the days when pen and paper ruled the task of jotting down ideas. In today’s era dominated by keyboards and touchscreens, the tactile experience of typing has overshadowed the satisfaction of a pen gliding across paper. Yes, there is something inherently personal about handwriting. However, typed materials are cleaner and more readable. We’ve found a way to combine the best of both with some of the top handwriting-to-text converter apps. Let’s go through them.
Best Handwriting to Text Converter Apps
Undoubtedly, the need to convert handwriting into text has turned into an essential chase to maximize productivity. OCR or Optical Character Recognition apps are designed to recognize, scan, and convert handwriting to text. For individuals who seek to digitize their handwritten content, these apps boast algorithms and multiple features that simplify the conversion process. So, let’s dust off your old notebooks and polish your doodles into elegant & editable texts.
1. Microsoft Lens – PDF Scanner
Microsoft Lens is a versatile document scanner app that transforms your phone into a portable scanner. Not only can you capture handwritten notes, but also whiteboards, blackboards, and even photos to convert them into shareable files with digital text. It allows users to save and convert files into PDF, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel formats. Features like automatic cropping and integration with other Microsoft apps are like ice on the cake.
2. Adobe Scan: PDF Scanner, OCR
Adobe’s products are not unknown to the market anymore. With the Adobe Scan app, you can scan almost everything, be it your notes from copies or receipts, documents, or cards, converting them into high-quality PDFs. Automatic text recognition and Adobe Sensei’s AI technology provide you the ability to edit, resize, and reuse scanned text. You can further store & share it in the form of documents securely through Adobe Document Cloud.
3. Microsoft OneNote: Save Notes
Microsoft One Note is a part of the Microsoft 365 suite that functions like a notepad and lets users save notes efficiently. Let aside its freeform note-taking, drawing, and annotation features, this app lets users convert their handwriting into text for free. Moreover, you can even extract text from images with handwritten content. OneNote’s collaboration abilities and integration with other Microsoft apps make it a valuable tool for students and professionals.
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4. MetaMoji Note Lite
Metamoji Note Lite is considered one of the best note-taking apps designed for both personal and professional use. It allows users to sketch, annotate PDF documents, create handwritten or typed notes, scrapbook, and create digital mashups of notes and voice.
Users can select handwritten letters in a text unit, and double-tap on the target word, which will further be converted into editable text using handwriting recognition technology. Other features include a wide range of customizable pens, brushes, colors & paper templates, multi-device syncing, export, and easy sharing.
5. Nebo: Notes & PDF Annotations
My Script’s Nebo is an innovative notepad with some really cool features. Not only it can accurately translate your handwritten notes into typed text, but can also recognize mathematical equations & diagrams. Hand-drawn diagrams scanned are converted into perfect shapes and when pasted to PowerPoint, can further be edited.
The app is optimized for stylus and touch support. Its Interactive Ink Technology allows users to manage the ink in Nebo documents, i.e., edit & format handwritten notes such as splitting a word or inserting a new letter. These documents can be synced with their cloud storage service via the Notebooks sidebar.
6. Google Lens
Google Lens is like having a visual search engine in the pocket. You might already be aware that the app uses the power of AI and image recognition to provide information about objects, plants, and landmarks, and helps in translation. Additionally, it also acts as a free handwriting-to-text converter app that can help you scan and copy the content from your notebooks to your phone or tablet. Although it already comes integrated with the Google Go or Google Chrome Browser app, Android users can also download a standalone app on their devices.
Download: Android
Also Read: Top 10 Best Image to Text App for Android
7. Notes Plus
Notes Plus is a feature-rich note-taking app with excellent natural handwriting recognition technology. It allows users to write with the stylus or finger and have it converted into typed text accurately, in 52 languages. You can easily search these notes from the library. On top of that, the outstanding handwriting experience with razor-sharp ink effects and close-up writing mode for fine writing are some remarkable features.
It offers annotation and audio-recording capabilities that synchronize your voice notes with written notes, especially useful during lectures or meetings. It also provides a variety of customizable paper templates, including lined, grid, and specialty templates like music notion paper.
Download: iOS
8. PenToPrint Handwriting to Text
As the name suggests already, PenToPrint Handwriting to Text is an easy-to-use, fast, reliable, and affordable app, perfect for students’ use. Its real-time conversion technology provides immediate feedback as you write or draw on the screen. You can export your converted text into various file formats including TXT, Word, PDF, and more. Such text and notes can be edited & stored on any online platform and are easily searchable. Also, the app supports multiple languages and is cross-platform compatible.
9. Notability
Notability is highly popular for its comprehensive features tailored to students, professionals, and creatives alike. It seamlessly combines both digital ink and typed text within the same document. This dual functionality allows users to jot down handwritten notes, create diagrams, and even type out extensive lecture notes. It also provides Math Conversion technology using which users can easily solve complex equations directly on their phone or tablet.
Moreover, it provides multiple paper templates, customizable backgrounds, custom fonts, and tools like pencil and highlighter. The app has vertical and horizontal scrolling with pages separated by a thin horizontal line. Users can overlap their handwriting across pages for a continuous canvas to write on.
Download: iOS
Also Read: Teachable Review: Pros, Cons, and More!
10. mazec3 Handwriting Recognition
State-of-the-art handwriting recognition input method: mazec3, that’s what they say. The handwriting recognition app works as an alternative to usual keyboards and works across all third-party apps. You can write emails, social media posts, or anything you want in multiple languages such as English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.
Not only that, it intelligently converts your handwritten input to digital text as you write or draw on the screen. mazec3 has a predictive text feature that suggests words as the user writes. Users can customize the size, color, and font of both their handwritten and converted text.
Download: Android
11. Goodnotes 6
If you prefer preparing notes on your tablets or smartphones, Goodnotes 6 can be your ideal choice. It lets users annotate on their iPad or iPhone using a stylus or even their finger. Along with its user-friendly interface, features like the ability to add external links to notes or type movable text make it an exceptional addition to increase your productivity and work faster.
Goodnotes 6 uses a vector ink engine that ensures smooth and precise handwriting and drawing, which results in clean, sharp lines and shapes even if you zoom in or resize your notes. Multimodal input supports both handwritten and typed text within the same note for greater flexibility.
Download: iOS
12. Evernote – Note Organizer
Evernote is a notepad, planner, and daily organizer all in one that offers a plethora of productive features. Now yes it lets users scan, save, and search for handwritten notes with its in-built camera. It can index 28 typewritten languages and 11 handwritten languages.
Additionally, it even allows them to create and manage tasks within the app, integrate their calendar to keep track of appointments & deadlines, and annotate PDFs. With free and premium storage space, you can upload as many notes as you want and can even access them offline. It offers integration with other apps and services such as Google Drive, Slack & Microsoft Teams.
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13. Text Scanner [OCR]
Text Scanner uses OCR technology to recognize text from an image. Now accuracy has always been a common issue in OCR apps. As claimed by the developers, the app provides the World’s highest speed and accuracy rating. Other features include easy URL access, copy to clipboard, multi-image scanning with text extraction in the background, and support for over 50 languages.
Download: Android
14. CamScanner – PDF Scanner App
CamScanner in its early days has been one of the most popular PDF scanner apps that can also now help you scan and convert your handwriting into text for free. You can absolutely say that because the app has currently over 750 million downloads in over 200 countries. Just like others, it also employs AI-powered OCR technology that converts scanned text into editable and searchable content. Other notable features include smart cropping and auto-enhancing to ensure that the content is scanned in high resolution for better visibility.
15. Google Drive + Google Docs
Now this is tricky, but functional! You might already know that Google Drive offers an easy scan feature from where you can directly scan and convert images into PDF formats. However, the handwritten content in these images is not directly converted into digital and editable text. Fortunately, you can use Google Docs for this.
All you need is to scan and convert your handwritten notes into PDF formats directly in Google Drive. After that, use your PC and open the file saved in Google Drive with Google Docs, and voila, the handwriting will straight-up convert into digital text that you can easily edit and save.
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By providing a smooth transition from pen and paper to digital archives, Handwriting-to-text converter apps revolutionize the way we interact with our handwritten content. So, whether you are a student or a working professional, these apps can be extremely useful for you. We hope you liked our top picks. If you have queries or suggestions for us, please drop them below in the comments section. Stay tuned to TechCult for more such app reviews.
