Select text with Live Text
Live Text lets you select and recognize text on photos, videos, and images. You can then copy and paste the text or have it translated. This is useful if, for example, you see a poster and want to copy certain text such as a URL to look up more information later at home. In this article we explain how to enable it, how to use it and what you need for it.
It does not always work well in Dutch. This is because Apple does not yet offer official support for Live Text in Dutch. However, copying simple texts such as names, phone numbers and email addresses works well.
- Suitable languages
- Suitable devices
- Photos and videos
- Camera
- Safari
- iMessages
- Turn off live text
Suitable languages ​​for Live Text
Officially the following languages ​​are supported:
- English
- German
- French
- Italian
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Korean
- Ukrainian
Suitable devices for Live Text
Live text works on iPhones and iPads with an A12 Bionic chip or newer. This means that the devices below can use this feature when at least iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 is installed. Live text in videos requires at least iOS 16.
- iPhone 14 series
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 12 series
- iPhone 11 series
- iPhone SE (2020 and 2022)
- iPhone XS (Max)
- iPhone XR
- iPad Pro 2018 and newer
- iPad Air 2019 and newer
- iPad mini 2019 and newer
- iPad 2020 and newer
On Mac, Live Text for Photos works on both Intel-based Macs and Apple Silicon-based Macs. You can use it in the Photos app, Screenshot, Quick Look, and Safari.
Enable live text
Live text isn’t enabled by default, so you’ll have to do this manually:
iPhone and iPad
- Go to Settings > General > Language & Region.
- Scroll down and turn on Live Text.
- You get a pop-up that it doesn’t work in Dutch yet. Tap Turn on.
If you also want to recognize text on photos, screenshots and other images, you must add an extra language at Settings > General > Language and region, namely English. Your preferred language will then be Dutch, with English as the second option. If you already used your iPhone in English, you obviously do not have to do this.
Mac
You can also use Live Text for photos on Mac from macOS Monterey. Live text in videos requires at least macOS Ventura.
macOS Ventura
- Go to System Settings.
- Click the General tab and choose Language & Region.
- Turn on Live Text. A message appears stating that the function only works in certain languages ​​and not in Dutch. Click OK.
macOS Monterey
- Go to System Preferences.
- Click Language & Region.
- Optionally, add English as the preferred language.
- Check Live Text. A message appears stating that the function only works in certain languages ​​and not in Dutch. Click OK.
Although Dutch is not supported, you can still select and copy text in images. The only thing missing is the translation function.
Use live text with a photo or video in Photos
If you’ve taken a photo, screenshot, or video that contains text, the Photos app makes it easy to select those words and phrases using Live Text. It works very simply. Follow the steps below to select text from a photo or video using Live Text.
- Open Photos on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Choose a photo or video with text on it. If it’s a video, pause the moment you see text.
- Press your finger on a word and it will automatically turn blue. You can select more or less text by moving the second blue ball. On the Mac, select the text with the cursor as you always do.
- You can then copy this text with Copy, look it up on the internet with Look up, translate it with Translate or share it with Share….
If you’re wondering if there’s text to select on the image, check if the Photos app detected text. A scan symbol appears at the bottom right of the photo or screenshot that indicates whether there is anything to copy. You can optionally press that to see what has been detected by the app itself. You can always try to select text yourself in the way described above.
Using Live Text with Camera
Live Text also lets you scan text directly with your camera, without having to take a photo. If you want to use Live text via the Camera app in this way, you don’t have to set anything else. It doesn’t matter if you use the telephoto, ultra-wide or wide-angle lens of your iPhone or iPad, because it all works. Follow the next steps to use camera Live Text on your iPhone or iPad.
- Open the Camera app on your device.
- Point your iPhone or iPad at the piece of text you want to select. You don’t necessarily have to be right in front of it.
- When your iPhone has detected the text, a yellow frame will appear around it. An icon will also appear at the bottom right of the screen.
- Then tap the symbol. The text is enlarged.
- Swipe your finger across the text to select a section. Press Select all to select all text.
- You can then copy this text with Copy, look it up on the internet with Look up, translate it with Translate or share it with Share….
Unfortunately, you cannot yet translate into Dutch. Our test shows that Live Text already works quite well. It is able to read text from all kinds of surfaces and can even recognize handwriting. It works not only on books and information boards, but also on clothing or lined paper.
Live text in Safari
You can also use Live Text in Safari. If you see text on photo in Safari, you can select this text and then copy it or perform another action with it.
- Hold your finger on the photo until the context menu appears.
- Choose Show text. This feature recognizes addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and a variety of other text.
- Choose Copy or one of the other options.
Live text in iMessage
If you have dropped off a package and want to share the shipping receipt with someone, the Live Text function in iMessage will come in handy. It converts printed text into typed text via the camera.
- Hold your finger on the text box in iMessage.
- Choose Scan text.
- Point the camera at the object you want to scan.
- iMessage provides a live view of the scanned text in the text box. Tap submit if OK.
Turn off live text in Camera
If you do not want to use this function, you can always turn it off. You do this as follows:
- Go to the Settings of your iPhone or iPad.
- Then scroll down to Camera.
- Turn off the switch behind Live Text.
