Live Text in iOS 16 Files App PDF Previews

With iOS 16, Apple expanded its Live Text optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities directly into the native Files app, allowing users to recognize and interact with text embedded within PDF previews. This system-level integration enables you to instantly select, copy, translate, and perform contextual actions on text found inside standard digital PDFs as well as image-based, scanned documents without requiring third-party scanning or OCR software.

Automatic Detection via Quick Look

When you open a PDF in the iOS 16 Files app, it renders through Apple's native Quick Look engine. As the page loads, the operating system uses on-device machine learning to automatically analyze the document for recognizable characters, including printed fonts and legible handwriting.

To activate the feature, look for the Live Text icon (a small square with lines of text surrounded by a frame) in the bottom-right corner of the PDF preview window. Tapping this button highlights all detected text across the currently displayed page, signaling that the content is ready for interaction. Alternatively, you can directly touch and hold any visible text to begin selecting it immediately, just as you would on a standard webpage.

Interacting with Detected Content

Once Live Text detects the content within a PDF, you can interact with it using standard iOS text gestures:

  • Select and Copy: Drag the selection handles to highlight specific sentences or paragraphs, then choose Copy from the popover menu to paste the text into apps like Notes, Mail, or Messages.
  • Translate: Select foreign text and tap Translate to view an instant translation directly on the screen without leaving the Files app.
  • Look Up: Highlight a term or phrase and tap Look Up to view dictionary definitions, Siri Knowledge, or relevant web suggestions.
  • Share: Send the selected text directly to contacts or other applications through the standard iOS Share Sheet.

Data Detectors and Quick Actions

Live Text in the Files app also leverages Apple's Data Detectors to identify specific types of structured information:

  • Phone Numbers: Tap a detected phone number to initiate a call, send an SMS, or save it to Contacts.
  • Email Addresses: Tap an email to compose a new message in your default mail client.
  • Dates and Times: Select dates to create new calendar events or set reminders.
  • URLs: Tap web addresses to open links directly in Safari.
  • Currencies and Units: Live Text can convert foreign currencies and measurement units on the fly when you tap highlighted values.

Processing and Requirements

Live Text operates entirely on-device using the Apple Neural Engine found in devices powered by the A12 Bionic chip or later (iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and newer models). Because all OCR analysis occurs locally on your hardware, the feature works offline and ensures that sensitive document data remains completely private.