Instant text

What it does

Instant text helps you find and read short text around you. After starting detection, slowly move your phone with the rear camera facing places where there may be text. Your phone continuously recognizes what the camera sees and reads text aloud when it is clear and stable. Recognition runs locally on your phone and works without an internet connection.

When to use it

Use Instant text when you need to quickly read short text, such as shop names, labels, street signs, or room numbers.

How to use it

Tap the screen to start detection. The “Start detection” announcement confirms that recognition has started. Point the rear camera toward a place where there may be text, then move the phone slowly or gently adjust its angle and distance. The phone recognizes text in the live camera view. When the text is clear and stable, it plays a chime and reads the text aloud. When reading finishes, detection resumes automatically to find the next piece of text. You do not need to tap again.

Tap the screen at any time to stop detection. You will hear “Stop detection.” If the phone is reading text aloud, tapping also stops the reading.

Text containing a mixture of Chinese and English can be recognized.

This feature uses the rear camera. Point it toward the text you want to find.

If no text is found for a while, the phone gives a spoken reminder and continues scanning. Try slowly adjusting the phone's direction, angle, or distance from the text.

This feature works offline. Detection stops automatically when the app goes into the background. When you return to Instant text, tap the screen again to restart detection.