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# OCR (optical character recognition)

> Technology that converts text in an image into machine-readable text.

Also known as: OCR, optical character recognition. Category: Software.

Optical character recognition (OCR) converts text that appears in an image, such as a printed label, into machine-readable text. In product photography it is used to capture packaging data directly from the product images.

## How PhotoRobot uses it

PhotoRobot Controls offers semi-automated OCR: the operator extracts OCR annotations in the cloud editor, checks them per folder and exports them in the data.json file. There is no OCR endpoint in the PhotoRobot Cloud API. Combined with the [Unwrap](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/unwrap) tool it reads text on cylindrical packaging.

## See on photorobot.com

- [OCR in PhotoRobot Controls](https://www.photorobot.com/manuals/optical-character-recognition)
- [Optical character recognition with PhotoRobot](https://www.photorobot.com/blog/optical-character-recognition)

## Related terms

- [Unwrap](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/unwrap): PhotoRobot Controls tool that flattens text wrapping around cylindrical packaging so OCR can read it.
- [GS1 image standards](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/gs1-image-standards): GS1 guidelines for how product images are captured, named and exchanged in retail supply chains.
- [Image metadata (EXIF, IPTC, XMP)](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/image-metadata): Information stored inside an image file, such as camera settings, copyright, keywords and description.
- [Planogram](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/planogram): A diagram of how products are placed on retail shelves; planogram images show the product face-on for it.

## Where this term appears on photorobot.com

Mentioned on 19 pages. Most relevant:

- [Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in PhotoRobot Controls](https://www.photorobot.com/manuals/optical-character-recognition): The following user guide describes how to use the semi-automated Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools in PhotoRobot Controls App software.
- [Grocery Product Photography Solutions and OCR](https://www.photorobot.com/blog/grocery-product-photography): Discover PhotoRobot solutions for grocery product photography, optical character recognition (OCR), and photographing packaged products with labels.
- [Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Integration with PhotoRobot](https://www.photorobot.com/blog/optical-character-recognition): …is easy, but what if you need to capture text on a photographed object? This is where Optical Character Recognition (OCR) comes into play.
- [PhotoRobot OCR and GS1 Image Capture of Grocery Products](https://www.photorobot.com/videos/ocr-gs1-image-capture-features): Take a virtual tour of PhotoRobot software features for Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and automatic GS1 image capture.
- [Item Export - PhotoRobot User Support Manual](https://www.photorobot.com/manuals/item-export): It is also possible to enable Add extracted OCR data into data.json config.
- [Rapidly Onboard Studio Teams with PhotoRobot Academy](https://www.photorobot.com/blog/introducing-photorobot-academy): This includes available training courses in five specialty domains (OCR, 3D modeling, PINK - Clinical, Virtual Catwalk, and carpet photography).
- [Product Photoshoots with PhotoRobot](https://www.photorobot.com/videos/product-photoshoots-demo): This is thanks to the high resolution of the original image files together with PhotoRobot’s built-in OCR reader.
- [Packshot Photography - What is it, and How to Produce It](https://www.photorobot.com/blog/packshot-photography): If photographing packaging or labeling with text, PhotoRobot has a tool for Optical Character Recognition (OCR).
- [Quick, Easy, and Effective Product Photoshoots with PhotoRobot](https://www.photorobot.com/blog/product-photoshoots-photorobot): A shampoo bottle with white on white and lots of text: To introduce our Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature.
- [High-Speed, High-Quality Photos and Advanced Image Processing](https://www.photorobot.com/blog/high-quality-photos-advanced-image-processing): These include capabilities such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of text preset within images, auto cropping, centering and all the other functions that are bundled together into the…