You just landed in Seoul. The immigration form is in Korean. The taxi receipt is in Korean. The hotel check-in instructions are in Korean. Your phone's keyboard doesn't even have Korean characters. What do you do?
You open ScanThisText, point your camera, and read everything in English. Here's how to use document scanning and translation to navigate any country like a local.
At the Airport
Immigration and customs forms are the first foreign-language documents you'll encounter. Scan the form to understand what each field asks for. ScanThisText extracts the printed text and translates it field by field — so you know exactly where to write your passport number vs. your hotel address.
Navigating Public Transit
Bus routes, train schedules, and station maps are often only in the local language. Photograph the schedule, translate it, and you'll know exactly which platform and which time. Works even with the tiny text on posted timetables.
Restaurant Menus
This is the number one use case travelers report. No more pointing at random items and hoping for the best. Scan the entire menu page, get every dish translated with descriptions. Some menus are handwritten — ScanThisText handles handwriting in most languages.
Medical and Emergency Situations
If you need to visit a pharmacy or hospital abroad, understanding medication labels and doctor's notes is critical. Scan the prescription or medication box to verify you're getting the right treatment. This isn't just convenience — it's safety.
Shopping and Receipts
Want to know what's in that product before you buy it? Scan the ingredient list. Need to claim a tax refund? Scan and translate your receipts so you can fill out the forms correctly.
Pro Tips for Travelers
- Download the ScanThisText web app to your home screen for instant access (works offline for OCR)
- Use the history feature to save important translations (hotel address, emergency numbers)
- Translate your hotel confirmation and save a screenshot — useful when Wi-Fi is spotty
- The translator works with screenshots too — translate text in apps, maps, or messaging
Works Without an Account
No signup. No app download. Open scanthistext.com/translator in any mobile browser and start scanning. Free users get 15 scans and 5,000 translation characters per day — more than enough for a day of travel.