How to Save Mail Contacts with iOS 15 Live Text

Apple’s iOS 15 introduced Live Text, an on-device intelligence feature that uses optical character recognition to extract text directly from physical objects. By using either the native Camera or Photos app, Live Text recognizes names, phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses printed on physical mail letters, allowing users to save this information directly into the iOS Contacts app without manual typing.

How Live Text Recognizes Contact Details

Live Text leverages the Apple Neural Engine to scan printed or handwritten text in real time. When directed at physical mail, the system does not just read raw text; it applies contextual data detection to identify actionable information:

  • Phone Numbers: Marked with a underline or recognized as actionable links that trigger calling or contact options.
  • Addresses: Parsed and linked directly to Apple Maps and Contact card address fields.
  • Email Addresses: Recognized as direct mail links.
  • Names and Organizations: Can be selected manually via text-selection handles.

Capturing Details Directly Using the Camera App

To scan physical mail and create a contact instantly without saving a picture:

  1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
  2. Point the camera viewfinder at the physical letter or envelope containing the contact details.
  3. Align the text until a yellow framing box appears around the detected text.
  4. Tap the Live Text icon (a small square with three text lines inside) located in the lower-right corner of the viewfinder.
  5. The camera will freeze the frame on the selected text.
  6. Tap directly on the highlighted phone number, address, or email address.
  7. From the pop-up menu, select Create New Contact or Add to Existing Contact.
  8. Fill in any missing information (such as the person's name) and tap Done.

Capturing Details from a Photo

If you have already captured a photo of the letter:

  1. Open the Photos app and select the image of the mail.
  2. Tap the Live Text icon in the bottom-right corner, or press and hold the text on the screen.
  3. Tap an actionable element, such as an address or phone number, to bring up the context menu, or drag the selection pins over a full name and copy it.
  4. Choose Create New Contact from the contextual menu.
  5. Paste any additional copied fields into the contact sheet and tap Done.

System Requirements

Live Text requires an iPhone equipped with the A12 Bionic chip or newer (iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and later models) running iOS 15 or later. The feature operates entirely on-device, ensuring that personal correspondence remains private and is processed without an active internet connection.