Scan Text allows users to scan a document or text and is intended for longer, denser texts and handwriting. Once the document is scanned, the Reader opens, allowing you to play, pause or navigate through specific parts of the text.

This article contains the following: 

1. How to start scanning text?
2. How to select my reading language?
3. How can Envision detect languages automatically?
4. How can Envision detect columns and headers?
5. How can Envision detect handwritten text?

How to start scanning text?

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the App tab and navigate to Scan Text, this will open a new screen.

Step 2: Grab a document that you want to scan and point your phone’s camera to it.

Step 3: If the document has clear corners, it will be automatically detected and processed. You can as well tap on the Take Photo button to manually capture your document.

Step 3: You will hear a processing sound and the captured document will be opened in the Reader. You can read more about the reader and all its possibilities on the Reader article.

How to select my reading language?

If you are reading documents mainly in one language, you can select it as your reading language, to improve the accuracy of your results in the Envision App. You can always change the reading language in case you are reading a text that is in a different language than the one currently selected.

To change this setting, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the App tab and navigate to Scan Text.

Step 2: Tap on the Scan Text Preferences icon located on the top right corner.

Step 3: Now toggle the option Reading language. A new screen will be opened.

Step 4: In this screen a list with all the languages supported by the envision app is displayed. You can now tap on the language you want to read on. A success message will be displayed and you will return to the Scan Text Preferences screen. Tap on the Back button.

Step 5: Now start taking a picture of the document that you’d like to have read.

Step 6: The document will be opened in the Reader and it will automatically read the document in the selected language.

How can Envision detect languages automatically?

If you don't know what language a document has, or if you want to read a document that has several languages, you can activate Language Detection.

To turn on Language Detection, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the App tab and navigate to Scan Text.

Step 2: Tap on the Scan Text Preferences icon located on the top right corner.

Step 3: Now toggle the option Language Detection.

Step 4: Once you have enabled Language Detection, tap on the Back button.

Step 5: Now start taking a picture of the document that you’d like to have read.

Step 6: The document will be opened in the Reader and it will switch automatically between the different languages.

How can Envision detect columns and headers?

Another option with Scan Text is being able to detect columns. This means that whenever a text contains columns, it will read correctly in the right direction. First, it will read the column on the left and then the column on the right. Headings are also recognised, therefore whenever there is a heading in the document you are reading, the app will inform you about it. 

To turn on Layout Detection, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the App tab and navigate to Scan Text.

Step 2: Tap on the Scan Text Preferences icon located on the top right corner.

Step 3: Now toggle the option Layout Detection.

Step 4: Once you have enabled Layout Detection, tap on the Back button.

Step 5: Now start taking a picture of the document that you’d like to have read.

Step 6: The document will be opened in the Reader and it will switch automatically read the text in the correct order and speak out loud 'Heading' whenever a heading is detected on the text.

Note: All these preferences can also be changed on the Reader by tapping on the Reader Preferences button. For more information, see Reader

How can Envision detect handwritten text?

The Envision App is also able to read handwritten text, though a doctor’s note might not make the cut! This is not a separate feature but built right into the Scan Text feature. Simply grab a piece of paper, write something on it or grab a Happy Birthday card that you received and scan it by using the Scan Text feature.