Building VanishText, a local-first Windows app that removes text from your own images
I kept finding nice photos ruined by text stamped right over them. Cropping doesn't help when the text sits in the middle of the picture. So I built VanishText, a Windows app that removes text from images you own or have the rights to edit. The pipeline It works in three steps. Text detection. The app finds the text in the image, including rotated lines, not only straight horizontal ones.…
I discovered many photos marred by text that obscured the original images. Attempting to crop these pictures was ineffective when the text was centrally positioned. Consequently, I developed VanishText, a Windows application designed to eliminate text from owned or properly edited images. The process unfolds in three stages. First, the app detects the text, identifying even rotated lines, not just straight horizontal ones.
Next, it constructs a mask that precisely follows the lettering, ensuring only the text is replaced while leaving the rest of the image intact. Finally, an AI inpainting model populates the masked region with pixels that harmonize with the adjacent background.
I was keen on avoiding any photos ending up on a server. Thus, VanishText operates solely on your personal computer, without requiring an account or monitoring data. After downloading a one-time model of approximately 0.7 GB, the application functions offline. It also operates efficiently on standard hardware, without necessitating a graphics card.
For convenience, a batch mode allows you to designate a folder, and the app will process all images within. The tool acknowledges its limitations, running on the CPU, which means one might expect a minute to a couple of minutes per image. For very faint text on intricate patterns, a second pass may be necessary. It's important to note that transparency is not maintained, and the tool is exclusively compatible with Windows.
The installer currently lacks code signing, potentially triggering SmartScreen warnings upon initial use. The intended use is for images you possess or have the rights to edit. Please refrain from applying it to other people's photographs or copyrighted content without permission. The software is available for a one-time fee of €19.99, without any subscription requirements: https://ko-fi.com/s/0354d9a8db
I'm curious to hear from others who have created local-first desktop applications. Could you share your approach to handling the initial model download? Additionally, what types of images do you envision using this tool on?
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