How To Convert handwritten notes to text using Windows Journal

Windows 7 has some of its own features that make it more effective and useful when you use it on touchscreen devices such as tablet PCs or touchscreen smartphones.Windows 7 has an application called Windows Journal that lets you convert ink you write with the Pen tool into typed text that you can use in other programs or in your notes.

This can be very useful if you want to use information from your handwritten notes in a program that requires or prefers typed text. It gives you the ability to free yourself from the keyboard and enter any text into word processors. The handwriting recognition engine in Windows 7 is powerful enough to correctly recognize handwriting input, and also makes recommendations in accordance with them.

Convert handwritten notes to text using Windows Journal

  1. Click Start, search for Windows Journaland open it.
    2. On the Pen toolbar, click Selection Tool. (If this is your first time using it, you need to install the journal notes pen driver).


  1. Draw a loop around the handwriting you want to convert.
  2. Click the Actionsmenu , and then click Convert handwritten text to text.
  3. In the Correcting Textdialog box, click Options.
    6. Press to select or clear the Preserve Line Breaks in Notes Option option .
    7. If your selection consists of multiple lines, these lines are saved in the Transformed Text field and in the output text. Select this option if line breaks are important, such as in a list or in a poem. Clear this check box if line breaks are not important.
    8. In the Transformed Text box, click any word that is not recognized correctly. If the word has a green background, you probably need to correct it. The handwriting corresponding to the word appears in the Ink From Note box. Handwriting is also selected in your note to provide context for the text you are correcting.
  4. To correct the recognition error, find the correct word in the “Alternative” field. If you find it, tap a word and then tap Edit. If you cannot find the correct word, enter it using the keyboard or Tablet PC Input Panel, and then click OK.
  5. In the next window of the “Fix Text” dialog box, select one of the following options:
  • Copy to clipboard. This option allows you to paste text into another program. The handwriting in your note remains unchanged.
  • Paste in the same journal note. This parameter inserts the converted text into the text box of the note. Your original handwriting has been removed.
  • If you selected the Always copy text to clipboard option when you have corrected handwriting in the past, this dialog is not displayed and the converted text is automatically copied to the clipboard.
  1. Click Finish.
  • If you decide to copy the converted text to the clipboard, you can paste it into any program.
  • If you choose to paste the converted text into the text box, the original ink will be removed and the new text box will be inserted in its place.

Important Tips:

  • You can change your handwriting recognition settings by tapping the Tools menu, clicking the Options dialog box, and then clicking the Other tab.
  • If you want to convert all handwriting on the page to text, click the Edit menu and then click Select All to select all handwriting first.
  • The journal cannot convert ink written with the selection tool.
by Abdullah Sam

Leave a Comment