Previously, anyone who wanted to copy text from images or videos and then edit it usually had to type it in manually. With this new tool, this will now be much easier and faster in the future.
In order to be able to use text from an image or a video, the only option previously was to download the image or photograph the video sequence using screenshots and then insert them into programs such as Word, for example. Here we explain how you can take a screenshot with Windows 10.
However, if you want to edit the texts and rewrite them, for example, you often have no choice but to type them out by hand. A new extension should now speed up and simplify this process.
With this tool you can copy texts directly from videos and images
With the new “Blackbox” extension, users can now effortlessly copy text in over 200 languages from videos and images and then paste them into any program as text.
This basic function of the English-language tool has so far been available as part of a free version for the web browsers Google Chrome, Brave, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge. There are also paid versions with a desktop app for the Mac and Windows operating systems.
This is how the black box extension works
In order to be able to use the extension for free, you must first add it to your respective browser and then register and log in with a valid email address. You can find out how to add extensions to Google Chrome, for example, here.
You can then use the tool as follows:
- Open the image or video with the text you want to copy.
- Now look for the black box icon (a large, black B in a white box) in your browser toolbar and click on it. This activates the extension.
- A black cross now appears instead of the mouse arrow. You can then use this to drag a whitish field over the text to be copied into the image or video while holding down the left mouse button.
- The text in the video or image will now be copied automatically and a confirmation will appear in the lower right corner of the browser window.
- Finally, paste the text into a program of your choice by right-clicking or using the key combination CTRL + V.
For example, you can also find the instructions for the Google Chrome browser in the video below:
This copy feature of the extension is basically free. With the paid versions, you can also install a desktop app that allows you to view your past copy history.
In addition, with these versions you should also be able to copy handwritten texts from blurry or out-of-focus images and videos as well as texts from compatible apps such as YouTube or Zoom, or search for specific words in a video.