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OCR - Pull text from an image when you fill out a Form

Securely extract text from within your images while you fill out a Form

Updated this week

❔ Catch-up quick

Pull text from an image using an existing picture from your device’s camera roll, or using your device’s camera.

Your image and its information are completely in your control, and are only used with your direct input.

Access the Pull text from image feature in either the Mobile or Web Form Editor through either the Sparkle icon, or through an existing Image field.

Pull text from an image lets you securely extract text from an image and use it to populate fields while completing a Form. You can extract text from a new photo or an existing image on your device, and either place values manually or allow GoFormz to automatically suggest values for eligible fields.

You can access this feature while filling out Forms on mobile and in the Web Form Editor (Automatic placement coming soon to the web form editor).

Availability and security

  • Available for all accounts while in Beta

  • Images and extracted text remain under your control

  • Data is only used with your direct input and is not stored after the process completes unless you save it to your form

Ways to pull text from an image

When filling out a Form, you can access Pull text from an image in two places:

  • Through the Sparkle icon

  • Through an Image field

You can use either method to capture text using your device’s camera or an image from your photo library.

Pull text from an image manually

Manual text extraction allows you to review extracted text and choose exactly which values to place into specific fields.

Steps

  1. Open a Form on your device.

  2. Access Pull text from an image using either:

    1. The Sparkle icon, or

    2. An Image field (skip to step 5)

  3. Select Camera or Photo Library.

  4. Capture or select an image.

  5. Review the extracted text.

    1. Tap a line to edit it.

    2. Remove a line by selecting it and tapping X.

  6. Tap Continue.

  7. Select a line of text, then select the field where it should be placed.

  8. Repeat as needed.

  9. Tap X to exit the menu and continue filling out your Form.

    1. If accessed through the Sparkle icon, the image and extracted text are deleted once the process completes.

    2. If accessed through an Image field, the image remains saved in that field.

Automatically pull text from an image (Mobile)

Automatic text extraction scans the image and suggests values for eligible fields on the current page or tab only.

Suggested values are not saved until you review and accept them.

Note: Automatic text extraction is available on mobile devices only (web coming soon), requires an internet connection, and works only for fields that are enabled to accept OCR input.

Use Automatic OCR

  1. Open a Form on your mobile device.

  2. Navigate to the page or tab that you want to place data into.

  3. Tap a text extraction method and select Automatically.

  4. Select Camera or Photo Library.

  5. View suggested values for eligible fields.

If your device is offline, the Automatically option is unavailable and a banner appears indicating that an internet connection is required.

Review and save suggested values

After the scan completes:

  • Fields with suggested values are highlighted.

  • You can review and edit any highlighted field.

Choose one of the following actions:

  • Accept — Saves all suggested values.

  • Discard — Removes all suggested values.

Suggested values are saved only after you tap Accept.

Limitations

  • Automatic text extraction is mobile only (Web coming soon).

  • An internet connection is required for Automatic OCR.

  • Only the current page or tab is used for placement.

  • Only empty, eligible, and enabled fields can be populated automatically.

Related topics

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