'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Request OCR and Missing Features for OneNote on Mac
Question details
Users are seeking a way to request missing capabilities such as OCR, drawing-to-text conversion, and direct export to Word in the Mac version of OneNote.
- Product
- Microsoft OneNote for Mac
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Users want to utilize advanced note-taking tools and document conversion capabilities that are currently unavailable in the macOS application.
- Observed behavior
- The desired features are not built into the software, requiring users to navigate to the correct channel to formally request these additions from the product developers.
Ensure you have an active Microsoft account and are logged in so your feature request can be tracked and associated with your profile.
Submit a Feature Request via the Microsoft Feedback Portal
Use the official Microsoft Feedback Community to submit and upvote missing feature requests, as product decisions are not made on public support forums.
Public support forums are primarily for user-to-user troubleshooting and are not actively used by developers to make product decisions. To request features like OCR, drawing-to-text, or export to Word, you must use Microsoft's dedicated feedback platform.
Open your web browser and go to the official Microsoft Feedback Portal specifically designated for OneNote.
Click the 'Sign In' button at the top right corner and enter your Microsoft account credentials.
Use the search bar to look for 'Mac OCR' or 'Export to Word Mac'. If another user has already posted this request, click the 'Upvote' button to increase its priority.
If you cannot find an existing post, click the 'Send Feedback' button. Fill out the form detailing why OneNote for Mac needs OCR and text conversion features, then submit your post.
Use WPS Office for Built-in OCR and Document Export
While waiting for OneNote on Mac to add missing features, consider WPS Office as a free, lightweight alternative. It features a familiar interface, seamless migration, and built-in OCR to extract text from images, saving directly to fully compatible Word formats.
- 1. Download and Install WPS Office: Get the free Mac version from the official WPS website and complete the installation.
- 2. Open Your Document or Image: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF or image file you wish to extract text from.
- 3. Apply the OCR Tool: Navigate to the Tools tab, click 'OCR', and choose to extract the text. You can then immediately save the result as a standard Word document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does OneNote for Mac currently support OCR for images?
No, unlike the Windows version, Microsoft OneNote for Mac does not natively support Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to copy text directly from inserted images.
Can I convert my handwritten drawings to text in OneNote on a Mac?
Currently, the ink-to-text or drawing-to-text conversion feature is missing from OneNote for macOS. Users must request this functionality via the Microsoft Feedback Portal.
How can I export my Mac OneNote pages to Microsoft Word?
OneNote for Mac lacks a direct 'Export to Word' function. As a workaround, you must manually copy and paste your text into a Word document or print the OneNote page as a PDF.
Do Microsoft developers check the support forums for new ideas?
Support forums are primarily designed for user-to-user troubleshooting. For actual feature suggestions, Microsoft relies on the official Feedback Portal where users can formally submit and upvote ideas.
