Handwriting Recognition Technology
Handwriting recognition technology feels a bit like magic. It transforms the strokes of your handwriting, whether it’s scribbles on a digital canvas or notes taken with a stylus, into editable, searchable, and shareable text. This technology relies heavily on complex algorithms and machine learning to understand and interpret various handwriting styles. It’s an incredible feat that my handwritten to-do list, captured on my iPad, becomes something I can search for weeks later, or that a quick note can be turned into an action item in a digital calendar.
The magic here resides in the fact that this technology accommodates our human touch—our unique way of writing—meshing it with the digital world’s precision and utility. It’s a balance between recognizing the idiosyncrasies of personal handwriting and interpreting them accurately enough to transform ink into text.
Table of Contents
Getting Started with Handwriting Conversion
Set Up Your iPad
First you need to check that scribble is enabled in your iPad.
- Select settings.
- Choose Apple Pencil.
- Toggle on Scribble.
This setting will allow your input to be recognized through iPadOS.
You should choose a style that feels right in your hand and also adjust its sensitivity according to your writing style. You should also instal any relevant software updates that can improve recognition and conversion.
Tips to Improve Recognition
- Write neatly and make sure there is consistent spacing between letters. If your handwritten notes are uniform, the converted results will be more accurate.
- Hold the stylus correctly to get more control and clear handwriting.
- You can use lined or grid papaer when writing the notes. This will help you write staright and keep the size of characters same.
- Avoid wrist fatigue by resting your hand on the screen if you’re not using a palm rejection glove. OneNote can handle it.
- The more you write with intention on your iPad, the better your handwriting will become, and the more accurate the recognition software can become.
Make sure that your handwriting is clean, as it will increase the chance of accurately converting text using OneNote.
Convert Handwritten Notes to Typed Text
Follow the steps below to quickly convert handwritten notes to typed text:
STEP 1: Go to the Draw tab.
STEP 2: Select the Ink to Text button.
This will convert the Handwriting to Text.
FAQs
How to Edit Text After Converting it?
Editing text after conversion in OneNote is as straightforward as editing any typed text. Once your handwritten notes have been converted:
STEP 1: Tap on the text you’d like to edit to bring up the on-screen keyboard.
STEP 2: Point the cursor to the place where you need to make changes.
STEP 3: Type the correct words.
John Michaloudis is a former accountant and finance analyst at General Electric, a Microsoft MVP since 2020, an Amazon #1 bestselling author of 4 Microsoft Excel books and teacher of Microsoft Excel & Office over at his flagship MyExcelOnline Academy Online Course.
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