iPhone Live Text is a useful feature that lets users recognize and interact with text directly through the camera.
Instead of typing information from a poster, document, signboard or visiting card, users can copy, share, translate or search the text instantly.
The feature is available on iPhone XS, iPhone XR and later models running iOS 15 or newer.
iPhone Live Text Feature Explained
To use Live Text, open the Camera app on your iPhone and point it toward the text you want to use.
When the phone recognizes the text, a yellow frame appears around it. Tap the Live Text icon and select the required text to access options such as Copy, Share, Translate and Search.
The selected text can then be pasted into apps such as Notes, Messages or Mail without manually typing it.
Translate Text With iPhone Camera
Live Text can also help translate text written in another language. For example, users can point the camera at a restaurant menu, street sign or other written information.
After selecting the text, tap the Translate option. The iPhone can then display the available translation depending on the language supported.
Call or Open Websites Quickly
The feature can recognize more than ordinary words. If a photo or camera view contains a phone number, email address or website, the iPhone can show relevant Quick Actions.
Users can tap the detected phone number to make a call, select an email address to start an email or open a recognized website directly.
In some situations, Live Text may also provide other useful actions, such as currency conversion.
Live Text Also Works in Photos
Live Text is not limited to the Camera app. The feature can also recognize text in photos and supported videos stored in the Photos app.
For videos, users can pause the video at the required frame and select recognized text. Options such as Copy, Translate, Search Web and Share can then be used.
This makes Live Text useful for quickly extracting information from screenshots, photographs, documents, signs and videos without typing everything manually.
