Apple’s Live Text feature is no longer exclusive to M1-chip devices and will now be available to “all Mac computers that support macOS Monterey.”
According to the macOS Monterey 12 Beta 4 release notes, the live text feature will now work on all computers that can run the updated OS software, including Intel-based Macs that have previously been unable to access it.
As per Apple’s preview page, macOS Monterey officially runs on devices as old as the late 2013 Mac Pro. So theoretically, you should be able to access the live text feature on most recent Mac purchases – provided you’re not still somehow running the iconic unibody polycarbonate MacBook, which was discontinued back in 2011.
But what exactly is Live Text and how does it work?
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What Is Live Text?
Much like Google’s popular Google Lens technology, Live Text digitises any text found in images and makes it interactive and searchable, which is a dream come true for thousands of students and workers.
Gone are the days of manually transcribing text from screenshots, handwritten notes or text books! With Live Text, you can simply copy and paste like you would with a Word document or an email.
“There is so much rich information in your photos, from memorable places you’ve visited to handwritten family recipes. iOS 15 uses secure on-device intelligence to help you discover more in your photos, quickly find what you’re looking for, and relive special moments,” Apple describes the feature.
Using Apple’s Live Text, you can copy text, click on a phone number or search an address from a photo via the Apple Photos or Camera app.
The new feature comes after Apple introduced Live Text to iPhone in its recent iOS 15 update earlier this year.
MacOS Monterey will be released later this year, but if you’re interested, you can try out the beta software now.