Microsoft simplifies copying text from images in Windows 11

Why it matters: Windows 11's Snipping Tool already allows you to copy text from images, offering functionality similar to Apple's Live Text – but Microsoft's implementation involves a few more steps. A new Windows 11 Insider update aims to streamline the process of grabbing text from various sources for easier copying and pasting. Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels can now test a feature that moves the Snipping Tool's text extractor directly to the main toolbar. This change eliminates the need to take a screenshot before capturing text. The current public version of Windows 11 includes a text extractor in both the Snipping Tool and Photos apps. After opening an image in either program, users can copy text from the picture by clicking the extractor icon – located at the top of the Snipping Tool window or the bottom of the Photos window. For further context, Microsoft offered this kind of functionality before in Windows via PowerToys, but that compares unfavorably to Macs ... Read full article.