How to Convert Notes and Photos to Text on iPad

Scribble is for writing into a text field now. It does not transcribe an old paper notebook or a photo in your library.

1. Use a compatible Apple Pencil and enable Scribble in Settings > Apple Pencil.
2. Tap a text field and write with Apple Pencil. In Notes, you can also select the Scribble tool in the handwriting toolbar.
3. Check the typed words and correct them before continuing. Availability depends on your device and supported language.

These steps apply to handwriting created in Notes. For a photograph attached to a note, use the image workflow below. If transcription is unavailable, check Apple's supported system languages.

1. Open the handwritten note in Apple Notes. Select the handwriting with the Lasso tool or touch and hold to extend a selection.
2. Open the selection menu, including More if needed, and choose Copy as Text.
3. Paste into a text field in Notes, Pages, or another editor. Review the transcription before replacing the original.

For a paper notebook, the camera is your input. An Apple Pencil is unnecessary because the OCR tool reads the uploaded image rather than pen strokes.

1. Take a photo with the Camera app. Hold the iPad parallel to the page and light the writing evenly.
2. Open the photo and crop it to the handwritten section. If a scan was saved as a PDF, capture the relevant page as an image for the web image uploader.
3. Open the FreeOCR.AI homepage in Safari and follow the browser workflow below. Use an image from your photo library or Files.
4. For several pages, process one readable image at a time and combine the reviewed text in page order.

• For handwriting in a different note app, capture a screenshot of a readable section and use the same workflow.
• Avoid shrinking a long page to fit one screenshot: small letters lose detail. Separate sections are easier to review.
• If you need a Word document, download DOCX from the result rather than trying to preserve the original handwriting as editable ink.

Use the homepage image tool for a printed document, a paper note, or an app screenshot. The source can contain printed text, handwriting, or both. Save it as an image, not a notebook file or PDF. Make sure the full paragraph is visible and readable before opening Safari.

1. Open the FreeOCR.AI homepage in Safari. Select your cropped image from Photos or Files. Use a photo or screenshot, rather than a PDF or notebook file.
2. Complete any verification shown, then submit for recognition. Follow the on-page account or credit prompt if you have used today’s free allowance.
3. Compare the result with the source photo, including numbers and words near the page edges. Copy the result and paste into a text field in Notes, Pages, Word, or Google Docs; correct mistakes there.
4. For a separate document, save as Word, TXT, or Markdown. Save the download to Files and open it in an appropriate editor. If clipboard access fails, use the TXT download.