Fraktur and blackletter print
German books and newspapers were commonly set in Fraktur until the 1940s. Standard OCR set to modern German reads Fraktur badly: ſ becomes f, the ligatures ch and ck fall apart, and capitals like A, U and N get confused. This tool reads Fraktur and writes it out in modern type with the original spelling kept, which is what you want when quoting a source.
Common uses
- Copying passages from German textbooks for language study
- Extracting text from German letters from the Finanzamt, insurers or landlords
- Digitising old newspapers and family books printed in Fraktur
- Pulling quotes from screenshots of German websites or slides
- Reading product labels and instructions while travelling
Umlaut-safe output
OCR set to English often gives you "Grusse" instead of "Grüße", or swaps ß for B. Because this tool knows it's reading German, those characters come through correctly, and compound nouns aren't split into separate words.
Handwriting on the page?
Printed forms with handwritten entries are read in one pass. If you're working mainly with handwritten letters or old Kurrent, the German handwriting to text page has advice aimed at those.
Mostly handwritten pages? Try German handwriting to text.
Frequently asked questions
Can this German OCR read Fraktur?
Yes. Fraktur print is transcribed into modern letters with the original spelling preserved.
Is it free?
Your first image is free without an account. A free account then gives you 3 credits and 1 free credit per day.
Can I upload a German PDF?
No, images only (JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC). Export or screenshot PDF pages as images first.
Is this useful for GCSE or A-level German?
It's handy for turning printed vocabulary lists and reading passages into text you can study from. It doesn't solve exam questions, it only reads text.
Does it work with Swiss and Austrian German?
Yes. Swiss German usually writes ss instead of ß, and the tool keeps whatever the source uses.