Photo recipe import

Import recipes from photos, cookbooks and screenshots

Photograph a cookbook page, handwritten family recipe, magazine clipping or screenshot. Matlyst turns the visible text into an editable recipe with separate ingredients and instructions.

How to scan a recipe

Photo import is a Matlyst Pro feature. Before your first import, open Matlyst and accept the AI notice. Use a clear, well-lit image and keep the full recipe inside the frame.

Open photo import. Open Add recipe in Matlyst and choose Take a photo.
Photograph or choose the pages. Take a new photo or pick one or more images from your library. Add every page when the ingredients and instructions span several images.
Review and save. Check the title, quantities, ingredients and instructions against the original. Correct anything that needs changing, add the source if you want to keep it, then save the recipe.

A screenshot works too. Save the screenshot to your photo library, choose Take a photo in Matlyst and select it from your images. For a recipe already available as text or a public web page, pasting the text or link may give a cleaner result.

Image quality and handwriting affect the result. Avoid glare, shadows, curved pages and cropped lines. Matlyst can make mistakes when reading quantities, allergens or instructions, so always compare the imported recipe with the original before cooking.

Cookbooks, magazines and recipe cards

Photo import is useful when a recipe has no link to share. Scan printed cookbook pages, magazine recipes, clippings and handwritten family cards, then keep them in the same searchable collection as recipes from the web and social media.

Screenshots and recipes with several pages

Choose a screenshot from your photo library, or select several images when one recipe continues across multiple pages. Make sure the images are in reading order and that no ingredient or instruction is cut off.

Use the recipe after import

Put the saved recipe in a folder, add it to your meal plan and send its ingredients to your shopping list. Open Ask Matlyst on the recipe when you want practical help with ingredient swaps, allergens, preparing it ahead or what to serve with it.

Keep the original credit

A photo usually does not contain a reliable source link. Add the cookbook title, author, magazine or person who wrote the recipe yourself if you want to preserve where it came from. See the complete recipe import guide for links, social media, YouTube, Pinterest and Paprika imports.

Photo and cookbook import questions

Can I import a recipe from a photo?

Yes. In Matlyst, open Add recipe, choose Take a photo and either photograph the recipe or select an image from your library. Photo import requires Matlyst Pro.

Can Matlyst scan a cookbook page?

Yes. Photograph the full cookbook page in good light, keep the camera straight and avoid glare or curved text near the binding. Review the imported quantities and instructions before saving.

Can Matlyst read handwritten recipes?

Matlyst can read many handwritten recipe cards, but the result depends on how clear the handwriting and image are. Always compare the imported recipe with the original, especially quantities and allergens.

Can I import a recipe from a screenshot?

Yes. Save the screenshot to your photo library, open photo import in Matlyst and select the image. Include every screenshot if the recipe continues across several images.

Can I use more than one photo for a recipe?

Yes. You can choose multiple images for a recipe that spans several cookbook pages or screenshots. Put them in reading order and make sure the images do not omit any lines.

How do I get the best recipe scan?

Use sharp, well-lit images taken straight above the page. Avoid shadows, glare, folds, curved pages and cropped text. One clear page per image is usually easiest to review.

Is photo import free?

Photo import requires Matlyst Pro. The current price and terms are shown in the app before you buy.

What can I ask Ask Matlyst about?

Open Ask Matlyst on a saved recipe to ask practical questions about ingredient swaps, allergens, preparing the dish ahead or what to serve with it. Check important allergy information against the original recipe and product labels.