BMP to Text (OCR)
Extract text from BMP bitmap images using optical character recognition. Works entirely in your browser.
Extract Text from BMP Images Free (OCR)
BMP (Bitmap) is Windows native image format. It stores raw, uncompressed pixel data, meaning every detail in the image is preserved at full quality. For OCR purposes, this lossless nature is an advantage because text character edges remain sharp and well-defined. This free tool uses Tesseract.js to extract all readable text from BMP images entirely in your browser.
BMP files are commonly produced by older Windows applications, screenshots saved via the Windows Snipping Tool or Print Screen on earlier OS versions, scanner output from legacy hardware, and images exported from certain graphics software. If you have a BMP with text you need to extract, this tool handles it directly.
No file is sent to any server. Tesseract.js runs the OCR engine locally using WebAssembly, so your images remain completely private.
What Is a BMP File?
BMP stands for Bitmap Image File. It was developed by Microsoft and is the default image format for Windows. Unlike JPG and PNG, BMP files do not use compression by default. This means they are significantly larger in file size than equivalent JPG or PNG images, but they preserve every single pixel exactly as captured.
While BMP has been largely replaced by PNG for lossless images in modern use, it is still encountered in legacy systems, older scanner output, embedded Windows applications, and some industrial or scientific imaging equipment.
How to Extract Text from a BMP Image
Step 1 – Upload your BMP file. Click or drag your .bmp file onto the upload area.
Step 2 – Wait for OCR. Tesseract.js processes the image and extracts all readable text.
Step 3 – Review the extracted text. The text appears in an editable text area.
Step 4 – Copy or download. Copy to clipboard or download as a .txt file.
Common Use Cases
Legacy system output. Older Windows software saves screenshots and exports as BMP. Extract text from these files for modern use.
Scanner output. Some older flatbed scanners default to BMP format. Extract text without converting the file format first.
Technical documentation. Software installers, older help systems, and technical tools often use BMP for screenshots in documentation.
Industrial and scientific imaging. Certain imaging equipment outputs raw BMP data. Extract embedded labels and annotations as text.
Limitations
Large file sizes. BMP files are large. Very large BMPs may take longer to process in the browser.
Handwriting. Handwritten text in BMP images extracts with lower accuracy than printed text.
Low-resolution images. Even though BMP is lossless, low-resolution source images produce poor OCR results.
Related Tools
- JPG to Text (OCR) – Extract text from JPG images.
- PNG to Text (OCR) – Extract text from PNG files.
- TIFF to Text (OCR) – Extract text from TIFF scanned documents.
- PDF to Text – Extract text from PDF documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this free?
Yes. Free to use with no account required.
What is a BMP file?
BMP is Windows Bitmap format — uncompressed, lossless image data.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Tesseract.js processes all images locally in your browser.
Why convert BMP to text?
To extract editable text from scanned or captured images saved in BMP format.