Free Text Summarizer: step by step
- Paste your text into the left box, open a .txt file, or click Load sample.
- Choose a Style (key points, a short paragraph or a headline) and a Length.
- Quick summary updates as you type. For AI summary, switch modes and click Summarize. The first time, Chrome downloads its AI model once.
- Read the summary on the right, then click Copy.
Quick summary or AI summary?
| Feature | Quick summary | AI summary |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Scores every sentence by its important words and position, and keeps the best ones without repeats | Chrome's built-in language model reads the text and writes a new summary |
| Result | Exact sentences from your text | New, shorter wording |
| Works on | Every browser, including phones | Chrome or Edge 138+ on Windows, Mac, Linux or a Chromebook Plus, with enough memory |
| Speed | Instant | A few seconds, after a one-time model download |
| Languages | Most languages | English, Spanish, Japanese, German and French |
| Privacy | Both run on your device. Your text is never sent anywhere. | |
Why the quick summary keeps your own sentences
Picking real sentences (called extractive summarizing) can't invent facts or change what the author meant, which makes it a safe way to skim. It works best on well-structured writing such as news articles, reports and essays, where each paragraph has a clear topic sentence. It's weaker on dialogue, lists or very short texts, so paste at least a few paragraphs.
Using summaries well
- Studying: summarize a chapter, then check each key point against the original. Rewriting the points in your own words helps you remember them.
- Long reports and emails: use Key points to see what matters, then read the parts that concern you in full.
- Writing: paste your own draft. If the summary misses your main point, readers probably will too.
- Always check: any summary leaves things out, and AI summaries can occasionally get a detail wrong. Don't rely on one for anything important without reading the source.
Turning on the AI summary
The AI mode uses Chrome's built-in Summarizer, part of the same on-device model that powers other Chrome AI features. It needs Chrome or Edge version 138 or newer on a computer with about 22 GB of free disk space and either a graphics card with more than 4 GB of memory or 16 GB of RAM. The model is downloaded once (use Wi-Fi), and after that summaries work even offline. If the AI button is greyed out, your browser or device can't run it yet, and the quick summary is used instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is this text summarizer free?
Yes. It's free with no sign-up and no word limit, because the work happens on your own device.
Is my text uploaded?
No. Both the quick and the AI summary run in your browser, so private documents stay on your device.
Why can't I use the AI summary on my phone?
Chrome's built-in AI currently runs only on desktop computers (Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook Plus). On phones, the quick summary works instantly.
How long can the text be?
Quick summary handles long articles and chapters easily. For very long texts, the AI summary works through them in parts and then combines the results, which takes a little longer.
Can it summarize a PDF or a web page?
Copy the text and paste it in. For a scanned PDF or a photo of a page, first get the text with Image to Text.
Does it work in other languages?
The quick summary works in most languages that use punctuation between sentences. The AI summary supports English, Spanish, Japanese, German and French.
Updated