Windows Phone Link app has received a new update that adds an essential feature to the app. Users of the app can now extract text from images saved on their Android phones, making it easier for you to gather information. This productivity tool was first added to Window’s Snipping tool last year. Now, it’s expanding to connected mobile devices through the Phone Link app and it’s very useful. Let’s see how you can get your hands on the feature.
Now extract text from images on Android using Windows Phone Link
Windows Phone Link app’s latest version – v1.24051.91.0 brings the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature, letting users copy text from images saved in an Android phone’s gallery. When users open a photo from the Photos section on the Phone Link app, they should see a “Text” icon at the top. Tapping the Text icon will bring up the OCR feature, letting you copy the text in one tap.
Once you tap on the feature, all text will be highlighted and selected at once, however, you can choose to select text manually. Further, the feature will recognize and tell the language of the text such as English, Japanese, etc.
Windows Phone Link works at its full capacity on Android so it’s available for Android phones, however, this feature isn’t available on iOS as of yet. Also, it’s worth noting that the Phone Link app and the compatible Link to Windows app work with limited functionality on iOS.
While the feature appears very useful, you may not be able to access it yet. The reason for that is that it’s available in the latest Windows Insider Preview Build 22635.3646. So it isn’t publically available and you cannot use it yet unless you are signed up for the Windows Insider program.
Other than the text extraction feature, the Phone Link app’s latest version also makes it easier to share files. The app now adds the “My Phone” button in the nearby share section, which means users no longer have to follow more than one step to share files from PC to Android.
For the unversed, the Phone Link app is a pre-installed file-sharing app on Windows 11. It allows for a seamless file-sharing experience. However, it’s more than that as it allows you to make and receive calls, see messages, and do more directly on the PC using the app. This means you don’t have to keep checking your phone for OTPs or important messages.