Best Handwriting Recognition Apps

The best handwriting recognition apps can turn your handwritten text into regular typeface.

• Taking notes might help you remember things better and think more creatively.
• Computers and mobile devices can now take the role of traditional notepads thanks to handwriting recognition software.
• For safe document storage, the top handwriting recognition applications can rapidly upload your notes to the cloud.
• This article is for professionals and small company owners who are thinking about integrating handwriting recognition software into their everyday workflow.

If you often write down notes on a mobile device using a stylus or your finger, you are aware of the importance of handwriting recognition software for organization and readability. These apps use character recognition and machine learning to conduct the labor-intensive work instead of manually converting handwritten notes into digital format.

We’ll feature 10 top handwriting recognition applications that may increase output, improve teamwork, and foster innovation.

The 10 best handwriting recognition apps in 2022

The handwriting in the following applications may be automatically recognized and digitalized. Some are cost-free, while others have in-app purchases or call for a one-time fee. All of the major platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, and Chrome, have had their programmes and utilities covered.

1. MetaMoJi Note

In addition to voice input, PDF annotation, and handwriting-to-text conversion via the Mazec handwriting recognition companion software, MetaMoJi Note is a complete notebook, sketchbook, and scrapbook programme.

A large selection of pens, calligraphy pens and inks, images, and layouts for writing and sketching are available at MetaMoJi Note. Voice notes may be edited and tagged to images or documents, or you can import a PDF file, annotate it, and then export it as a new PDF. Use Google Drive, Evernote, or Dropbox to store and share files, or send notes via email, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

The MetaMoJi cloud, which stores and maintains up to 2GB of data for free, can sync all folders.

 

You can access additional flexible features, such as a shared drive for coediting documents, interval-based auto-sync for backing up notes, more cloud storage, access to additional inks and papers, and the ability to customize the navigation bar, by subscribing to MetaMoJI’s Gold Service for $29.99 per year or $4.99 per month.

2. Microsoft OneNote

The updated Microsoft OneNote software still translates legible handwriting into text twenty years after its first release. Get the standalone desktop programme for Windows PCs and Macs, or the OneNote mobile app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play. On Windows devices, however, OneNote is fully functioning as a component of the larger Microsoft 365 office productivity package.

 

OneNote takes input via styluses and enables drag-and-dropping text fields. Before processing handwritten input into a text document, you may utilize it to snap a picture of it. Since OneNote is a component of the Microsoft 365 platform, cloud-based access and storage are a given.

OneNote enables internal linking and version histories, in contrast to some of the other programmes on this list. When you use sophisticated capabilities like on-page content placement and the option to translate certain sections of a page rather than the entire thing automatically, it becomes a surprisingly potent tool. OneNote has 35 language support, speaking about translation.

3. MyScript Nebo

With a stylus like the Samsung S Pen, MyScript Nebo is particularly made to work with tablets like the Apple iPad and more recent Android smartphones.

Nebo’s interactive ink technology makes it easier to write, draw, and format notes. Text is also changed into papers that may be shared. Recent enhancements enable better math object performance and enhance note handling in general. In a new library, you may browse notebooks and collections in a side panel so that you can drag and drop documents around. Your whole library is searchable using an improved search engine.

You can doodle, annotate photographs, construct editable equations, change font size and device orientation, organize notes in pages, notebooks, and folders, search, save, and sync with Dropbox, in addition to editing and formatting in an astonishing 65 languages. Documents in text, Word, PDF, and HTML formats can be exported. Diagrams may be copied, pasted, and edited for use in PowerPoint.

4. Notes Plus

For the iPhone and iPad, Notes Plus is a gesture-based writing application that offers fluid handwriting skills and supports more than 50 different languages. It has close-up writing mode, palm rejection, form recognition, and ink effects. There are several ways to resize or move components across the page in this flexible, beautiful interface. Even different ink types, colours, thicknesses, and writing tools are available.

The creator of Coffeeble, Thomas Fultz, stated that he prefers Notes Plus because it makes him feel more at ease when jotting out his notes. “I get to handwrite my notes, but they are already digitally saved for me. In contrast to a traditional notebook, it’s also simpler for me to locate previous notes if I need to return to them again, so whenever I have an idea for website content or just want to make a fast note, I’ll use Notes Plus to quickly record it so that I can retrieve it later.

The MyScript engine and Notes Plus work together to convert your handwriting into text. Notes Plus also accepts text input and outputs notes as PDF documents or photos to Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, and email. You may enter photographs from the photos or camera app as well as import PDF and Word documents. Using audio input, you may take notes.

The Apple Pencil and styluses from Wacom and Adonit, as well as the software, are all compatible.

5. Mazec

With the help of the keyboard app Mazec, handwriting may be transformed into text for use in emails, memos, and social media postings. You may search the web, browse the web, and fill out online forms using semantic databases in conjunction with the MyScript engine. Font size, auto-scroll area width, word spacing, and other options are all customizable. The built-in dictionaries now function better, and recent revisions have simplified Apple Pencil use.

Mazec offers choices and phrases for you to pick from as you start to type; you typically don’t have to write down a whole word before the software completes it. When you type “emoji” or a name of a known emoji category, Mazec automatically recognizes your choices, learns certain words, and even suggests emojis.

Mazec supports 12 languages, however if you wish to use any other languages other the one you signed in with, you must purchase a language pack.

6. Pen to Print

Pen to Print is a version on handwriting recognition that analyses scanned handwritten documents and turns them into editable, searchable digital text that may be kept on your device or in the cloud.

The app’s handwritten OCR engine extracts text from paper documents including letters, meeting notes, school notes, and grocery lists. It gives people the flexibility to continue writing by hand if they so want. The handwriting recognition software is compatible with block, cursive, and script writing.

The app comes highly recommended from Kohezion’s CEO and creator, Thierry Tremblay. It is really easy to use, clear-cut, quick, and quite accurate. It functions flawlessly on my iPad and on my devices. On her Android tablet, one of my coworkers is also practicing it.

 

Your content may be saved to a file, copied, emailed, added to Notes, and shared across a variety of platforms, including Messages, WhatsApp, WeChat, Messenger, and Telegram, with premium monthly and yearly membership options.

7. Notability

The great note-taking software Notability for iPhone and iPad includes PDF notation, auto-correct, and context analyzer capabilities. You may add images and web pages in addition to using the built-in note-taking, journaling, and sketching tools (such as ink, highlighter, text, and audio).

The Ink tool uses double-tapping to do tasks like erasing and switching tools and is tailored for the Apple Pencil. Different brush sizes let you accurately remove letters or freehand drawings.

Additionally, Notability allows you to work with many notes simultaneously, exchange ideas in presentation mode, record audio, and play it back.

The software is free to download and use, but in order to access its enhanced features and capabilities, you must purchase a $11.99 yearly or $2.99 monthly membership.

8. Gboard with Google handwriting input

You may download the Google keyboard software Gboard on your Android phone. Once enabled, Google’s handwriting input feature allows you to manually type phrases onto your keyboard.

Open an app like Gmail or Google Keep, tap where you can add text, and then select Handwriting from the menu. Tap Open features menu when the keyboard displays, then select Settings > Languages to set your language. Enable the Handwriting layout by swiping right.

When you press a text entry field after enabling Handwriting, choose your handwriting keyboard and create text using your finger or a stylus. The tool provides predictive text and can make out even the clumsiest scribbling.

9. Handwriting Recognize

The plainly named Handwriting Recognize transforms handwritten stuff into digital text via a web browser or smartphone screen, making it perfect for Chromebook owners or aficionados of the Chrome web browser. It works well at converting plainly written text into words and can be utilized directly through the Heroku App website or as a Chrome plugin.

You may draw with various pen widths and colours, and you can use sliders to change the canvas’s size. With undo and redo buttons for fixing errors, it is possible to preserve drawn data for future reference.

Additionally, 50 languages are supported by the app, including European and Brazilian Portuguese as well as Traditional and Simplified Chinese. But you won’t find any sophisticated features here, and in our tests, it had trouble understanding italicized text.

10. GoodNotes 5

The new GoodNotes 5 offers searchable notebook and document creation if you’re looking for a potent notetaking and PDF annotation tool with handwriting recognition. The pen tool in this iOS-only app lets you select different letter colours and thicknesses. Shape recognition automatically converts freehand sketches into identifiable shapes. Text boxes and pictures may also be moved about, and pages can be turned and zoomed in and out.

Ian Kelly, CEO of NuLeaf Naturals, remarked, “We enjoy that we can draw and doodle as well as interpret our scrawled notes.” “We enable sharing so that everyone in the conference may contribute using their computers or iPads. I appreciate that it can be searched as well. Writing down a note seems more natural than typing it out, and it keeps us talking to one other throughout pitches and sessions.

The most recent version has more features including adjustable horizontal and vertical scrolling, an infinite number of folders and subfolders, and search functionality using handwritten notes, typed text, document titles, and folder and file names. Shortcuts are provided for several sites, documents, and files. It also offers the ability to show documents as lists and features a QuickNotes tool that gets your notes started quickly.

The writing process is made easier with a new ink algorithm. While a new template library gives unique covers and pages, updated brush pen and shape tools enable more colourful and imaginative notes. You can sync your notebooks between all of your iOS devices using iCloud.

How do handwriting recognition apps work?

The handwriting recognition technique was developed from an older sort of technology known as optical character recognition, which approximates the written word digitally.

Ever had trouble reading someone else’s handwriting?

It might calm you to know that computers are also affected by this issue in addition to people. While computers have long been able to recognize and translate printed material, only recently have they been able to do the same for handwritten words. The Transkribus programme is built on handwritten text recognition, or HTR, a system that does this.

Although handwriting recognition is an amazing technological advancement, it might be difficult to comprehend at first. Consequently, if you are unfamiliar with this cutting-edge and cutting-edge innovation, let me give you a fast overview of what HTR is and what HTR is and what HTR is and what HTR is not yet familiarize yourself with this

What is handwriting recognition or HTR?

A form of technology called handwriting recognition may be used to “read” the writing in photographs of handwritten documents. Imagine that you wrote an essay by hand while you were in school and that you would like to have a digital copy of it on your computer now. With the appropriate HTR software, you could scan an essay, run it through the programme, and then download and distribute the same essay as a digital text file as needed. The fundamental idea behind handwriting recognition is this.

Additionally, we need to be clear about the terms used. Offline handwriting recognition is the term used to describe the type of handwriting recognition discussed above. This is because it contains illustrations of previously written text. Additionally, there is “online handwriting recognition.” This programme converts handwriting into digital text as you write it, typically using a tablet and a pen. Transkribus can only be used for offline handwriting recognition because it was designed to recognize the handwriting in already-written historical documents.