macOS Monterey's Live Text allows users to interact with text in any image

Posted:
in macOS edited June 2021
Apple's new Live Text feature will allow macOS Monterey users to interact with written information in images and photos in a variety of ways.

Credit: Apple
Credit: Apple


The Live Text feature was first announced as part of the iOS 15 update during Monday's WWDC 2021 keynote. However, Apple's macOS Monterey preview page has confirmed that the feature is also coming to the Mac.

Essentially, Live Text allows written information within an image to be treated as interactive text. Users will be able to highlight the text, copy and paste it, and perform certain contextual actions.

For example, users will be able to click an address and get easy access to navigation data in Apple Maps via data detectors. Clicking on a phone number within a photo could bring up the address book.

On M1 Mac computers, Live Text feature also incorporates privacy features that ensure personal information or details never leaves a device.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,020member
    This is one feature that blew me away and that I am most excited about.
    patchythepiratedk49DBSyncwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 13
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    JinTech said:
    This is one feature that blew me away and that I am most excited about.
    Most features for users announced at most WWDCs are features that most people won't become aware of or use a lot. However this Live Text feature will amaze everyone and word about it will spread quickly. I presume Google will immediately launch a competitive feature for Android. Did Apple trademark the words "Live Text"?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 13
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,400member
    JinTech said:
    This is one feature that blew me away and that I am most excited about.
    Most features for users announced at most WWDCs are features that most people won't become aware of or use a lot. However this Live Text feature will amaze everyone and word about it will spread quickly. I presume Google will immediately launch a competitive feature for Android. Did Apple trademark the words "Live Text"?
    Maybe you didn't knew, but Google Lens already does what Apple showed today with Live Text.  
    gatorguy
  • Reply 4 of 13
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    JinTech said:
    This is one feature that blew me away and that I am most excited about.
    I totally agree. In my humble opinion, this is the most important feature announced today. The future implications with regard to AR are very exciting. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 13
    bestkeptsecretbestkeptsecret Posts: 4,265member
    danvm said:
    JinTech said:
    This is one feature that blew me away and that I am most excited about.
    Most features for users announced at most WWDCs are features that most people won't become aware of or use a lot. However this Live Text feature will amaze everyone and word about it will spread quickly. I presume Google will immediately launch a competitive feature for Android. Did Apple trademark the words "Live Text"?
    Maybe you didn't knew, but Google Lens already does what Apple showed today with Live Text.  
    Yes, I would have been surprised if this wasn't already a feature on Google. 
  • Reply 6 of 13
    DBSyncDBSync Posts: 4member
    Google Lens does not work on Windows or Mac.
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 13
    rezwitsrezwits Posts: 878member
    I grabbed this, for my older macs too, just incase of disappearance...

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/textsniper-ocr-simplified/id1528890965?mt=12

    text sniper this thing is insane!
    JohnGold
  • Reply 8 of 13
    williamlondonwilliamlondon Posts: 1,324member
    danvm said:
    JinTech said:
    This is one feature that blew me away and that I am most excited about.
    Most features for users announced at most WWDCs are features that most people won't become aware of or use a lot. However this Live Text feature will amaze everyone and word about it will spread quickly. I presume Google will immediately launch a competitive feature for Android. Did Apple trademark the words "Live Text"?
    Maybe you didn't knew, but Google Lens already does what Apple showed today with Live Text.  
    Yes, I would have been surprised if this wasn't already a feature on Google. 
    Where would we be without the resident corporate shills constantly pointing out inferior competitors' offerings?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 13
    rezwits said:
    I grabbed this, for my older macs too, just incase of disappearance...

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/textsniper-ocr-simplified/id1528890965?mt=12

    text sniper this thing is insane!
    Absolutely love this app! 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 13
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    JohnGold said:
    rezwits said:
    I grabbed this, for my older macs too, just incase of disappearance...

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/textsniper-ocr-simplified/id1528890965?mt=12

    text sniper this thing is insane!
    Absolutely love this app! 
    Interesting. But it has the lowest user rating an app could possibly have. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 13
    JohnGold said:
    rezwits said:
    I grabbed this, for my older macs too, just incase of disappearance...

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/textsniper-ocr-simplified/id1528890965?mt=12

    text sniper this thing is insane!
    Absolutely love this app! 
    Interesting. But it has the lowest user rating an app could possibly have. 
    No idea if TextSniper has good or bad ratings, but I've used it for a couple years, and it's one of those little sub-$10 apps that I use virtually every day. It's never failed me, and it even works on M1s with Monterey. The new Preview Live Text feature will probably suffice for most now, but I still like the additional features of TextSniper. 
  • Reply 12 of 13
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    JohnGold said:
    rezwits said:
    I grabbed this, for my older macs too, just incase of disappearance...

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/textsniper-ocr-simplified/id1528890965?mt=12

    text sniper this thing is insane!
    Absolutely love this app! 
    Interesting. But it has the lowest user rating an app could possibly have. 
    4.7 out of 5 on the US store (from 74 ratings)

    5 out of 5 on the Canada store (11 ratings)

    Where are you looking to see this "lowest user rating an app could possibly have" ?
    edited November 2021
  • Reply 13 of 13
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    JinTech said:
    This is one feature that blew me away and that I am most excited about.
    Most features for users announced at most WWDCs are features that most people won't become aware of or use a lot. However this Live Text feature will amaze everyone and word about it will spread quickly. I presume Google will immediately launch a competitive feature for Android. Did Apple trademark the words "Live Text"?
    Google already has the equivalent "live text" feature, and has for some time.
    DBSync said:
    Google Lens does not work on Windows or Mac.
    https://www.techradar.com/how-to/how-to-use-google-lens-on-your-iphone-or-ipad

    And while not "official" there's supposedly a way to install on both Macs and Windows. 
    https://www.techgenesis.net/download-and-install-google-lens-for-pc-windows-and-mac/
    and said to be officially on the way to both systems in the near future.
    https://www.xda-developers.com/google-lens-google-photos-desktop-ocr-images/
    edited November 2021 muthuk_vanalingam
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