Live Text is yet another innovative feature from Apple that lets you extract text from photos and videos on your iPhone. Using Live Text for photos is pretty straightforward, but using the same on videos requires a few extra steps. The post details what Live Text is, how to use it in videos, and the myriad of possibilities it opens for iPhone users.
What is Live Text in videos on iPhone?
Simply put, Live Text is Apple’s advanced character recognition (OCR) technology that Apple has seamlessly integrated into the Photos and Camera app on iPhone. You can use the Live Text feature to copy/select text and take other actions, thereby making the available static content dynamic.
If you are wondering whether your iPhone model supports the Live Text features update, worry not — we have you covered. Like every major iOS feature, only iPhones with certain hardware and software support can use Live Text in videos.
Supported iPhone and iPad models
To make it easier for you to comprehend, only users with iPhones with A12 Bionic or later and iOS 16 or later can use the Live Text feature in videos. Here’s the complete list of supported devices:
- iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11 series
- iPhone 12 series
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 14 series
- iPhone 15 series
Live Text is available on iPad models running iPadOS 16 and later, which are:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd Gen or later)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (all generations)
- iPad Air (3rd Gen or later)
- iPad (8th Gen or later)
- iPad mini (5th Gen or later)
Supported apps
Unfortunately, not many apps support the Live Text feature. Here is a list of those I found during testing.
- Photos
- Camera
- Safari
- Notes
I’ll update this space as and when more apps receive support for this feature.
How to enable Live Text for videos on iPhone and iPad
The Live Text feature is usually enabled by default once you update your iPhone to iOS 15 or later, but if not, you can head to the Language & Region settings and do it manually.
- Open Settings → Head to General.
- Tap Language & Region.
- Now, tap the toggle next to Live Text to turn it On if it isn’t already. (Green is On).
Now that you know what Live Text is and where you can use it, it is time to learn how to use it in videos.
How to use Live Text in videos on iPhone and iPad
- Open the Photos app → Play the video for which you want to use Live Text.
- Pause the video when the text you want to extract appears.
- Now, tap the Live Text icon at the bottom right corner.
- If you want to copy only the text on the screen, tap the Copy All button at the bottom left corner.
You’ll see a browser icon if the video has text from a website.
- Alternatively, you can long-press on any portion of the text within the video and use the grab points to select the desired text, similar to how it’s done in apps like Notes.
- Once done with the text selection, you can perform the following actions:
- Copy Text: Copies the selected text, and you can paste it later at a desired location.
- Select All: Copies the entire text.
- Look Up: Your iPhone will show personalized web suggestions based on the selected text.
- Translate: If the text is in a language other than your iPhone’s language, you can use this to translate it.
- Search Web: You can look up the selected text on the web via Safari (default browser).
- Share: Allows you to share the selected text via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, and more.
In addition, the Live Text feature can even detect the time, date, phone number, or currency featured in the video and suggest creating a reminder, making a phone call, converting currency, and more.
In addition to iPhone or iPad, you can use Live Text on Mac as well.
Benefits of using Live Text in videos on iPhone and iPad
The use of the Live text feature goes beyond mere convenience; it opens a whole new world of possibilities for the user:
- Information retrieval: With Live Text, you don’t need to manually note down information from images or videos on your iPhone. You can save contact details, open URLs, make a web search, or save addresses from the text found in images or videos with just a tap.
- Language translation: Can’t comprehend what language is displayed in a video being played? Worry not; Live Text can translate it instantly, breaking the language barrier efficiently.
- Enhanced accessibility: The Live Text feature on iPhone seamlessly integrates with voice-over, Apple’s screen-reading feature. This benefits visually impaired users by making text in images and videos more accessible.
Upgrade your iPhone to iOS 15 firmware to use the Live Text feature in photos and to iOS 16 or later if you want to use the feature in both images and videos.
To add moving text, you can use the iPhone’s Clips app. Open the video in the Clips app → Tap the Star button → Select aA. Once the text is entered, select the desired style to add it to the video.
Conclusion
That’s how you use Live Text in videos in iOS 17. So, the next time you record a video on your iPhone, remember that the text within is just a tap away from unlocking a whole new world of possibilities.
How do you plan to use this feature? Do let me know in the comments below!
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