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Copy a Serial Number from an Image on Mac

By Eduard Bruch, developer of Optic · Updated

To copy a serial number from an image on a Mac, open the image and select the number with Live Text or a screen OCR tool, then paste it where you need it. Always compare the pasted string with the image, because look-alike characters such as O and 0 or I and 1 are where OCR slips.

Short answer: if the photo opens in Photos or Preview, Live Text is a good first try. If the serial is shown inside an app, a support portal or a settings window, my pick is Optic, a menu bar app that copies the text in any area you drag across the screen ($4.99, a one-time purchase on the Mac App Store).

Disclosure: I build Optic.

Why serial numbers are hard to type

Serial numbers are long strings of letters and digits with no meaning to hold on to. Many fonts make O and 0, l and 1, S and 5, or B and 8 look almost the same. One wrong character and the warranty form rejects it, and you do not know which of 15 characters is the culprit.

Try Live Text first

macOS Live Text works where Apple supports it: images in Preview, Photos, Quick Look and Safari. Open the photo of the sticker in Photos or Preview, hover over the serial until the pointer becomes a text cursor, select it and press Command-C.

Live Text does not work on arbitrary app windows, video calls or text drawn inside an app's interface. A serial number shown in an installer, a device management page or a remote session needs a screen OCR tool.

Copy the serial with Optic

Optic reads whatever is on screen inside the box you draw. It does not open files, so show the image or window first.

  1. Click the Optic icon in the menu bar.
  2. Choose Capture Text.
  3. Drag a tight box around only the serial number, without the label next to it.
  4. Paste it into the form or support chat with Command-V.

Recognition runs on your Mac with Apple's Vision text recognition. Optic has no network access, so the number is not sent anywhere.

Tips for a correct result

  • Zoom in. Make the serial large on screen before you capture. Small, blurry print is the main source of errors.
  • Box tightly. Leave out "S/N:" and neighbouring text so you paste only the number.
  • Try Code mode. Serials are not words. Code mode in Settings turns off language correction, so the recognizer is less tempted to make a string look like a dictionary word. Check whether it helps on your labels.
  • Check the look-alikes. Compare O/0, I/1/l, S/5 and B/8 against the photo before submitting.

Keep it for later

Each capture is stored in Optic's history in the menu bar popover with a small thumbnail, so you can copy the serial again when the support agent asks a second time. The history keeps your last 20 captures and stays on your Mac.

Codes on labels

Many device labels carry a code next to the serial. Optic's Capture QR Code mode reads 2D codes: QR, Micro QR, Aztec, Data Matrix and PDF417. If the label has one of these, capturing it copies the code's content, which may include the serial. It does not read 1D barcodes like EAN, UPC, Code 128 or Code 39, which are the striped ones on many stickers. More in how to scan a QR code on Mac.

Where Optic does not fit

  • It does not use the camera. Photograph the label with your phone, then open the photo on the Mac.
  • It does not open image or PDF files; the serial has to be visible on screen.
  • It works on one area at a time. It is not built for logging hundreds of asset tags from a folder of photos.
  • It does not read 1D barcodes.

See also copy text from an image on Mac and copy text from anything on your screen.

FAQ

How do I copy a serial number from a photo on my Mac?

Open the photo in Photos or Preview and select it with Live Text, or drag over it with a screen OCR app like Optic. Then compare the result with the photo.

Why does OCR confuse O and 0 in serial numbers?

Many label fonts draw them almost the same, and serials have no words to give context. Zoom in, box tightly and check by eye.

Can Optic read the barcode on a product label?

Only 2D codes such as QR, Data Matrix, Aztec and PDF417. Striped 1D barcodes are not supported.

Does Optic work on a serial shown in an app window or installer?

Yes. It reads any text visible on screen, including app windows that do not let you select text.

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