Live Text turns iPhone camera text into useful actions

Live Text can spare iPhone users from retyping a phone number, web address or block of text they can already see. Engadget's guide explains how the feature recognizes words through the Camera app and turns them into selectable text and contextual actions.

The feature works on iPhone XS-generation devices and later running iOS 15 or newer. Because it predates Apple Intelligence, it does not require one of Apple's newest phones.

How to use Live Text

Open Camera and point the iPhone at a sign, document, poster or other visible text. A yellow frame appears when the phone recognizes the words. Tap the Live Text control in the lower-right corner, then select the text you want or choose Select All.

From there, the available actions depend on the content. Users can copy text into Messages, Notes or Mail, share it through the standard share sheet, translate another language or look up a term. A detected phone number can offer a call button, while an email address, website or price can open a relevant action such as composing a message, visiting a page or converting currency.