Document recognition
Recognize screenshots or image pins as documents, edit Markdown against the original, and export Word, PDF, LaTeX, or Markdown with image files.
Recognize handouts, notes, or reference images as documents with headings, lists, tables, and formulas. Check against the original, then copy Markdown content or export Word, PDF, and other files.
Start from a screenshot or image pin
Press Ctrl+1⌃ Control+1 to take a screenshot and select the document area, keeping paragraphs, tables, and formulas complete where possible.
Expand the screenshot toolbar's more menu and choose Document recognition. It is in the secondary area by default. You can also press Shift+E⇧ Shift+E.
Wait for recognition to finish. Original image remains on the left, and Recognition result appears on the right, with Preview selected by default.
For an existing image pin, right-click and choose Recognition → Document recognition, or focus the pin and press Shift+E⇧ Shift+E. The image editing window's more menu also provides this action.
Compare with the image and edit the result
Preview renders Markdown as a readable document with headings, lists, tables, formulas, and images. First check the text, numbers, table rows and columns, and formulas. The result is reformatted content and does not guarantee a pixel-for-pixel match with the original.
Drag the divider between the two panes to give the original image or result more space. Preview is for viewing; switch to Markdown to edit text.
Click Markdown at the top right of the result pane to show editable source.
Correct text or numbers while keeping the formatting markers you need. For example, # marks a heading, - marks a list item, and vertical bars separate table columns.
Switch back to Preview to check the revised layout. Both views use the same content; subsequent copying, exporting, and opening use your current edits.
Copy the whole document or a passage
Copy Markdown at the top always copies the entire document's Markdown text, including heading, table, and formula markers. Paste into an editor that supports Markdown to display that formatting.
For just a passage, select text in the result and press Ctrl+C⌘ Command+C. In Markdown view, this copies the selected source. In Preview, it copies selected text, restores formulas as source with LaTeX markers, and converts images to reference text.
Copy Markdown does not package the image files. To send a document with images to someone or move it to another device, use Export Markdown to save the images with it. You can also export Word or PDF with embedded images.
Export a file for your task
Check that content and images display correctly, click Export at the top, and choose a format.
Choose a file location and name in the save dialog, then check the completion message in the window.
| Option | File and purpose |
|---|---|
| Export Word | .docx; keeps document structure for further editing |
| Export PDF | .pdf; for reading, printing, and sharing |
| Export LaTeX | .tex; for formula and document typesetting |
| Export Markdown | .md; keeps Markdown source for note-taking or document editors |
Exporting Markdown saves recognized images as PNG files in the same folder. The exported .md references these images. When moving or sharing, include both the .md and its images, keeping their relative locations, or images will be missing.
Word and PDF embed images in the file. LaTeX images are stored in the neighboring pixmarkdown-assets folder; keep that folder when using or sharing the .tex. If images have not finished loading, wait until they appear before exporting.
Open in… at the top generates a Word document from the current content and opens it in the system's associated app. The button name changes with that app. To choose a save location or retain a file, use Export → Export Word.
Cancel and retry after failure
Document recognition requires an internet connection. During recognition, click Cancel to stop; the original image remains, and you can click Retry later. Pressing EscEsc closes the entire recognition window.
On failure, follow the message: check the network for connection problems, sign in again for authentication failures, or reduce the screenshot area if the image is too large, then recognize again. The failure screen keeps the original image and provides Retry. If exporting or opening fails, check the reason shown in the window; the current recognized content is retained.
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