Capture words from any screen
Press a shortcut on Mac and Capecho uses on-device OCR to read the word and surrounding sentence from articles, PDFs, subtitles, images, and other non-selectable text. You can also copy first and use the clipboard path.
Capture words in context and review them later
Capecho is a Mac app for capturing unfamiliar words in the context you first encountered them, then reviewing them with spaced repetition before they fade from memory. It combines screen text recognition, a built-in explanation flow, and review scheduling so you can move from reading to recall without building flashcards by hand.
The product is aimed at readers who work through articles, PDFs, subtitles, images, and other text they cannot always select. Capecho captures the word and its sentence with a shortcut, lets you edit what is saved, and keeps the vocabulary tied to the original context for later review. It is available now on Mac, with a phone review companion planned.
Features
Edit before you save
A preview shows the captured word, learning language, and sentence before anything is saved. You can correct the word or sentence manually, which helps when OCR is partial or imperfect.
Understand the word in context
Capecho shows a concise meaning and part of speech in context, with senses and pronunciation available behind an expand. The detailed explanation is free for up to 10 in-context uses per day.
Review with spaced repetition
Saved words return as spaced-repetition cards built from the sentence you met them in. Review uses FSRS and the standard Forget, Hard, Good, and Easy ratings.
Export your library
Capecho keeps vocabulary in one Word Book and supports export to Anki or CSV. That lets users keep their library in Capecho or move it elsewhere later.
Private sync and offline use
The app runs capture on-device and supports offline capture and review. Cross-device review is available through a private account, while the phone companion is still coming.
Use cases
Reading without breaking flow
Read a long article or essay on your Mac, capture a new word with its sentence, and review it later instead of opening a separate lookup workflow each time.
Capturing non-selectable text
Work through PDFs, subtitles, images, or other text that cannot be selected and still save the vocabulary that appears on screen.
Learning from original context
Study vocabulary over time with spaced-repetition reviews that bring back the exact sentence you first saw, rather than a standalone word list.
Building a portable vocabulary library
Keep a personal word book that you can sync across devices, then export to Anki or CSV if you want to continue elsewhere.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Captures words and their surrounding sentence in one shortcut, which reduces manual card building.
- Uses on-device OCR, so the screen image stays on the user’s Mac.
- Keeps review tied to the original sentence, which helps preserve meaning in context.
- Includes free capture, review, sync, and export for the core workflow.
- Supports export to Anki or CSV if you want to move the vocabulary elsewhere.
Cons
- The richest in-context explanation is limited to 10 free uses per day unless you upgrade to Pro.
- Mac is the only platform available now; mobile review and broader platform support are planned later.
- Capture depends on macOS on-device OCR permissions, though copy/paste mode is available if you decline that permission.
FAQ
Is Capecho available now?
Yes. Capecho is available now as a direct download for Mac, and capture works on macOS today.
Why does it start on Mac?
Capecho is built first for Mac because capture happens while you read on the desktop using a hotkey and on-device OCR. A phone review companion is coming, with mobile capture and app store versions planned later.
Does Capecho upload my screen?
No. Capecho uses macOS on-device text recognition at your keypress and returns only the recognized text. The screen image never leaves your machine, and you can edit the captured word before saving.
What does Capecho cost?
The core loop is free. Pro costs $6 per month or $48 per year and removes the daily limit on in-context explanations.
Can I export my vocabulary?
Yes. Capecho can export to Anki or CSV, and it also supports review across devices through a private account.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Language learning / productivity
- Platform
- Mac
- Current status
- Available now
- Review system
- FSRS spaced repetition
- Export formats
- Anki, CSV
- Website
- capecho.com
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