Windows 11 is getting a brand new feature that allows the Photos app to automatically scan images for text but it may not be something you're comfortable with being enabled by default. So in this guide, we'll show you how to enable or disable the auto-scan images for text feature in the Photos app on Windows 11/10 PCs. Just be aware that this update is currently available only to Windows Insiders but will soon be rolled out to all users. Ensure your Photos app is up to date. However, the processes will remain the same once it is rolled out fully.
Takeaways:
- Learn how to enable the auto scan images for text feature in the Photos App on Windows.
- Learn how to disable the auto scan images for text feature in the Photos App on Windows.
Table of Contents
How to Enable or Disable Auto-Scan Images for Text in the Photos App
Normally I would love a feature like this to be enabled by default but sadly the way things are going with data collection and AI I'd rather not have Microsoft scanning every single thing on my device including looking for text in images. That might seem trivial in the scheme of things but it's something to be aware of moving forward.
Enabling Auto-Scan for Text in the Photos app
By default, the OCR feature in the Photos app is enabled. This means the app will detect text in an image and make it available for copying automatically.
- Open an image that contains text in the Photos app.
- Wait briefly to see if the app identifies the text. The OCR icon should appear at the bottom of the image.
- Once detected, you can select and copy the text by clicking the Copy all text button at the bottom.
To copy only a portion of the text, click and drag to highlight the desired section and right-click to select Copy text. You can then paste the copied text into any application using Ctrl + V or by right-clicking and choosing Paste.
Disabling Auto-Scan for Text
If you prefer not to have the Photos app scan images for text automatically, you can turn off the feature:
- Open the Photos app from the Start menu.
- Click the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner of the app.
- In the Settings menu, find the 'Automatically scan images for text' option under the Personalization section.
- Toggle the switch to Off to disable the OCR feature.
To re-enable the feature, repeat these steps and toggle the switch back to On.
How to Manually Scan an Image for Text on Windows 11
To scan an image for text using the Photos app, simply open the image in the app and wait for the text to be detected. Once it appears, select and copy the text directly to your clipboard.
How to Disable Copilot on Windows 11
If you aren't a big fan of having an AI tool on your computer that essentially monitors anything and everything under the disguise of convenience then you will probably want to disable Windows Copilot. While most device probably won't get the feature because of hardware restrictions some will so you certainly should consider disabling the feature ASAP.
How to Disable Windows Copilot on Windows 11.
