Overview
Copyfish is a sophisticated OCR engine designed as a cross-platform browser extension (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) that bridges the gap between static media and digital text. Architecturally, it utilizes the OCR.space API to perform high-accuracy character recognition on non-selectable media types including protected PDFs, YouTube video frames, and interactive infographics. In the 2026 market landscape, Copyfish positions itself as an essential utility for data analysts and language learners, offering a 'What You See Is What You Copy' workflow. Unlike traditional OCR software that requires file uploads, Copyfish operates on the DOM level, allowing users to draw a selection over any part of their screen. Its technical stack includes advanced preprocessing filters to handle low-contrast text and specialized support for CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) characters. By integrating translation layers directly into the extraction modal, it serves as a real-time localization tool. The 2026 version emphasizes local-first processing options to mitigate privacy concerns while maintaining cloud-based acceleration for complex document layouts.