Cursive Translator
Read old letters, diaries and notes written in cursive. Upload a photo or scan to convert cursive to text – or type text to see it written in cursive.
Your files are processed in your browser and never stored on our servers.
The language the page is written in.
Optional. Translation sends the recognized text to the MyMemory translation service.
Strong cleanup is on by default – it sharpens joined, slanted and faded cursive strokes before reading.
Translate Cursive Handwriting to Text
Cursive can be hard to read – especially in old letters, family diaries, recipes and historical documents. Our cursive translator reads joined-up handwriting from a photo or scan and turns it into plain, readable text.
Need it the other way round? Switch to Text to Cursive to see any sentence written in an elegant cursive style and download it as a transparent PNG.
I hope this letter finds you well
My dearest Margaret,
I hope this letter finds you well
How to translate cursive to text
Upload the cursive page
Take a clear, well-lit photo of the page or upload a scan or PDF.
We decode the cursive
The page is cleaned and sharpened, then every line of cursive is read and converted.
Check and download
Compare the text with the original, correct any words and export to TXT, Word or PDF.
Free Online Cursive Reader
Use our cursive reader to digitize letters, postcards, diaries and school notes written in cursive. Upload multiple pages at once, review each page side by side with its text and export everything together – free and directly in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the Cursive Translator.
A cursive translator reads joined-up cursive handwriting from an image and converts it into normal, readable digital text.
Yes. Upload a clear scan or photo and use Strong image cleanup, which removes paper stains and sharpens faded ink before reading. Very ornate or damaged writing may need a few manual corrections.
Photograph the page flat, in good light and without shadows, and crop out the background. Higher-resolution images give better recognition.
Yes. Switch to the Text to Cursive tab, type any text, choose a cursive style and ink colour, and download the result as a PNG.
You can read cursive in more than 20 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Hindi.