Today, we talk about transcribing your handwriting into editable, digital text.

For decades, we’ve had “copy and paste” as a way to take digital text from one place and put it somewhere else. From there, we can edit it.

But what if the text is not digital? How can we convert that which is printed in a book to editable text? To take things further, for those who like to handwrite notes, how can you digitize those notes so you can paste them anywhere, edit them, search them, and share them?

I’ve already shown you a way to do that using Google Lens. Today, I’ll show you how to do it with ChatGPT. Compare the difference between what each if the two produced and you be the judge.

Download the App

Start by downloading the ChatGPT app on your phone. It’s available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Log into the app using your existing ChatGPT account.

Open the App and Begin Your Request

As an example, you could enter, “I am going to take a picture of handwritten text. Please transcribe the handwriting into digital text.”

When ChatGPT asks for the picture, tap the plus sign and choose the camera icon. Snap your picture. Take a picture of your text. Click the upward arrow to submit your results to ChatGPT. 

Copy the Results and Paste Somewhere Else

As you view the newly-transcribed text on your phone’s screen, it’s time to put it in a more permanent place. Hold your finger on the transcribed text and a menu appears. Select “Copy.”

Where do you want to save this text? For me, the usual choice is Evernote. Your choice could be Google Drive, Word, AppleNotes, Notion, or a host of other options.

Compare

When I look at the result from ChatGPT versus Google Lens, even though Google Lens was good, ChatGPT was better. Wherever my handwriting is less than pristine, ChatGPT can rely on the context to help determine what word is written.

Two More Examples

If ChatGPT can look at context, then perhaps its success with interpreting my handwriting on the Gettysburg Address has to do with ChatGPT already knowing the Gettysburg Address.

In the next example, we’ll try an old favorite: “The quick brown fox just came over to greet the lazy dog.” ChatGPT transcribes the cursive perfectly, even though my cursive is far from perfect. Again, you might say that’s a famous sentence, a popular example of a sentence that uses every letter of the alphabet.

Let’s take one that’s totally made up: “Handwritten notes are fun when interpreted correctly.”

ChatGPT transcribed the handwriting without a single error. There’s one additional thing I’d like to point out. When I look at my own handwriting, the “s” at the end of the word “notes” is very faint. I am surprised chat GPT interpreted that word as “notes” instead of “note.” But looking at the context of the sentence, we see the words “are fun” rather than “is fun,” indicating that the noun is plural rather than singular.. “notes” rather than note.”

A Longer Example

Finally, here’s a longer text. Again, it’s totally made up:

“I wonder how well ChatGPT will interpret my handwriting. Since this text is something ChatGPT couldn’t find somewhere else, it may be more of a challenge than if I copied standard text such as the Gettysburg Address.” The results were perfect.

In each case, after snapping the picture within ChatGPT and hitting the “up” arrow to upload it, press and hold on the text to bring up a menu to copy. Go to your destination on your phone, such as Evernote, and paste.

The Case for Cursive

For several decades, we’ve been downplaying teaching handwriting with the argument that our world is digital, and it’s a great argument. At the same time, we see studies that say students perform better when their notes are handwritten instead of taken on a laptop computer.

Now, we have a way to “have our cake and eat it too.” If you like to write your notes by hand, fine. Use Google Lens or ChatGPT to transcribe them into editable text. But, the better your cursive, the more accurate that transcription will be. My third-grade teacher would be smiling!

While this technique is fresh on your mind, why not try practicing it? If this is not a good time, do what I do. Grab the URL you are on right now. Create a task reminding you to come back to this episode. Schedule a date for the task. Paste the link in the note section of the task. No way you can forget now!

Life is too short and time too precious to waste one more day. If you are someone who stumbled upon this site for the first time, let me help you take a major step forward right now. When you join my email list, I’ll give you two free gifts. The first will get your desk clean. The second will put everything you have to do in one place. Plus, each week you’ll hear from me with nuts & bolts tools and strategies to make life easier and more productive. You’re one click away from making it happen.