Updated as of April 15, 2024.
What is OCR?
OCR stands for optical character recognition. OCR is a process by which a computer analyzes pictures and converts pictures of text (letters, numbers, etc.) into readable and editable text.
What does Convenient OCR do?
Convenient OCR is built into JAWS screen reading software. Convenient OCR allows you to convert pictures of text into accessible information – in real-time and on the fly.
Convenient OCR works with on-screen images, including websites, screen shares, inaccessible PDFs, images in documents and slideshows, etc.
How to Use Convenient OCR
Run Convenient OCR by using the following layered commands:
- JAWS key and spacebar at the same time (you’ll hear JAWS announce “space”)
- Then the letter O (you’ll hear JAWS announce “O; OCR”)
- Then the letter S (to OCR the screen – you’ll hear JAWS announce “OCR started using Omnipage; Finished; JAWS cursor”)
Now that JAWS has performed OCR on the screen, you can access the information by using typical JAWS reading commands (such as JAWS key plus down arrow)
Additional information
Note that Convenient OCR leaves you with the JAWS cursor. JAWS will begin reading wherever your JAWS cursor is, even if it is not at the top of the page. For this reason, you may need to arrow up to get to the top of the page.
Note: If you tab away from the screen where you have performed Convenient OCR, the OCR is lost. When you go back, you’ll need to use Convenient OCR again (JAWS key plus spacebar; O; S).
Other OCR options
Check out the Bridges Resource Library’s Top 5 Accessible OCR Options entry for additional OCR tools.
Contact the Bridges Helpdesk for More Information
- Our Accessible web form
- Email: Helpdesk@imagemd.org
- Text: Send to: (410) 357-1546
- Voice mail: Call (410) 357-1546, leave a voice mail message, and we will return your call
This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.