Small, blurry or stylized text
Every option depends on reading the text in the image. Small, blurry, handwritten or stylized fonts raise the error rate; when you can, zoom the image in before capturing.
Guide · Windows 10 & 11
How to translate text in an image on PC.
An image on a website, a figure in a PDF, a photo of a document or text an app will not let you select. On Windows you can copy the text and translate it, upload the image to a translator, or see the translation on top of the original.
Download free for WindowsSee the 3 waysWindows 10 & 11 · Sincron translates with your own OpenAI or OpenRouter key
natsuya.jp/sale
なつやメニュー
期間限定
夏のセール
全品最大50%オフ
8月31日まで。5,000円以上のご注文で送料無料。
今すぐ購入
※一部商品を除く
JA → EN
Same color, same weight, same place. Only the language changes — and only in the part you selected.
Guide · Windows 10 & 11
How do you translate the text in an image on a PC?
There are three ways. The first is to copy the text out of the image and paste it into a translator: on Windows 11 the Snipping Tool does this with Text actions, and PowerToys Text Extractor copies text from any part of the screen with Win + Shift + T. Both recognize the text on your PC, and you get plain text without the layout.
The second is to upload the image to a translator. Under the Images tab on Google Translate's website, you get a translated image to download. DeepL translates images on its website and in its apps, and the Windows app has a screen capture tool; on the free plan, image translation is limited to 1,500 characters a day.
The third is to translate in place, with no copying or saving: Sincron Screen Tools translates the selected region with Ctrl + Shift + T and puts the translated text on top of the original, in any app. It requires your own OpenAI or OpenRouter API key, and the free plan includes 5 translations a day.
Reviewed on October 3, 2026
Step by step
The 3 ways, step by step
The first two copy the text, the middle two upload the image, and the last one translates right on screen.
Copy with the Snipping Tool (Windows 11)
Press Win + Shift + S, snip the image and open the snip in the Snipping Tool. Select Text actions and copy all text, or select just a passage. Paste it into Google Translate or DeepL.
Copy with PowerToys Text Extractor
Install Microsoft PowerToys and turn on Text Extractor. Win + Shift + T opens the selection; drag over the text and it goes to the clipboard. To read Japanese, Chinese or another script, install that language's OCR pack in Windows first.
Upload to Google Translate on the web
Save the image as a file. On translate.google.com, open the Images tab, choose your languages and browse your computer for the file. Then download the translated image, copy the text or turn on Show original to compare.
Upload to DeepL
On DeepL's website or app, drag and drop or upload the image; in the Windows app you can also use the screen capture tool. Supported formats include PNG, JPG, BMP, TIFF and GIF. On the free plan the limit is 1,500 characters a day.
Translate in place with Sincron
Press Ctrl + Shift + T and select the region of the image, PDF or app. The translation covers the original text, with a similar color and position, and the source language is detected automatically. You can view the original and copy the full translation.
Comparison
How the options differ
| Option | Keeps the layout? | Need to save the image? | Where the image goes | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snipping Tool + translator | No, you get plain text | No; it uses the snip | Stays on your PC; only the text goes to your translator | Free |
| PowerToys Text Extractor + translator | No, you get plain text | No | Stays on your PC; only the text goes to your translator | Free |
| Google Translate, Images tab | Yes, it returns a translated image | Yes, as a file | To Google | Free |
| DeepL | Yes, it returns a translated image | Not in the app, with screen capture | To DeepL | Free up to 1,500 characters a day; unlimited on Pro |
| Sincron (Ctrl + Shift + T) | Yes, the translation sits on top of the original on screen | No | Only the selected region, straight to your key's provider | 5 a day free; the key's provider bills usage |
Features and limits checked on official Microsoft, Google and DeepL pages on October 3, 2026.
Try it
The translation on top of the image
In the panel below, the translated text covers the original in the same position, with no copying, pasting or saving a file.
natsuya.jp/sale
なつやメニュー
期間限定
夏のセール
全品最大50%オフ
8月31日まで。5,000円以上のご注文で送料無料。
今すぐ購入
※一部商品を除く
JA → EN
Same color, same weight, same place. Only the language changes — and only in the part you selected.
Before you install
What using your own key means
Sincron has no AI of its own. You create an API key in your OpenAI or OpenRouter account, add credit there and paste the key into the app, which tests it before saving and stores it encrypted on this computer.
When you translate, only the selected region goes from your PC straight to the provider, which bills the usage to your account. Sincron does not charge for translations. A ChatGPT Plus subscription does not cover OpenAI API usage, which is billed separately.
Real limits
Where image translation goes wrong
OCR languages on Windows
PowerToys Text Extractor only recognizes languages whose OCR pack is installed in Windows. Without the Japanese pack, for example, it cannot read Japanese.
Sensitive documents
When you upload an image to a website, it leaves your PC. In Sincron, only the selected region leaves, straight to your key's provider. For confidential documents, crop to what you need and check what goes to the translator.
Sincron does not copy the original text
It copies the translation, not the text in the image. To get the original as text, use the Snipping Tool or PowerToys.
Common questions about translating text in images on PC
How do I copy text from an image on Windows?
On Windows 11, open the image in the Snipping Tool and use Text actions. With PowerToys installed, Win + Shift + T starts Text Extractor, which copies text from any part of the screen.
Can I translate an image with Google Translate on a PC?
Yes. On Google Translate's website, open the Images tab, upload the file and download the translated image, or copy the translated text.
Does PowerToys translate text?
No. Text Extractor only copies on-screen text to the clipboard. Translation is up to a translator such as Google Translate or DeepL.
How do I translate text in an image without saving it?
If the image is on a web page, use Google Lens in Chrome. In any app, Sincron translates a region of the screen with Ctrl + Shift + T and your own OpenAI or OpenRouter key.
What is the fastest way to translate text in an image on PC?
For one sentence, copying it with Text Extractor and pasting it into a translator takes seconds. To keep the layout of a whole image, use Google Translate's Images tab or Sincron, which shows the translation on top of the original.
See also
Screen translator for Windows
Read text in images, apps and PDFs translated in place, without copy and paste.
How to translate a screenshot
On phone and PC: the free options, and how to translate the screen without saving an image.
Google Lens for Windows
The ways to use Lens on a PC, and when to translate the screen in place.
Translate the image without leaving it.
Install Sincron Screen Tools, connect your OpenAI or OpenRouter key and press Ctrl + Shift + T over any image, PDF or app. The free plan includes 5 translations a day; capturing and drawing are unlimited.