diff --git a/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_test.talon b/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_test.talon
index 55e0c3fd04..e7a4c00c59 100644
--- a/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_test.talon
+++ b/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_test.talon
@@ -7,10 +7,20 @@ test api command <user.cursorless_target>:
     user.cursorless_command("setSelection", cursorless_target)
 test api command bring <user.cursorless_target>:
     user.cursorless_command("replaceWithTarget", cursorless_target)
+test api get text <user.cursorless_target>:
+    user.cursorless_get_text(cursorless_target)
+test api get text list on <user.cursorless_target>:
+    user.cursorless_get_text_list(cursorless_target)
+test api get text hide decorations <user.cursorless_target>:
+    user.cursorless_get_text(cursorless_target, true)
+test api get text hide decorations list on <user.cursorless_target>:
+    user.cursorless_get_text_list(cursorless_target, true)
+
 test api insert <user.word> <user.cursorless_destination>:
     user.cursorless_insert(cursorless_destination, word)
 test api insert <user.word> and <user.word> <user.cursorless_destination>:
     user.cursorless_insert(cursorless_destination, word_list)
+
 test api insert snippet:
     user.cursorless_insert_snippet("Hello, $foo!  My name is $bar!")
 test api insert snippet <user.cursorless_destination> :
diff --git a/cursorless-talon/src/actions/get_text.py b/cursorless-talon/src/actions/get_text.py
index 8ee8849da8..e95f35de90 100644
--- a/cursorless-talon/src/actions/get_text.py
+++ b/cursorless-talon/src/actions/get_text.py
@@ -1,9 +1,36 @@
 from typing import Optional
 
-from talon import actions
+from talon import Module, actions
 
 from ..targets.target_types import CursorlessTarget
 
+mod = Module()
+
+
+@mod.action_class
+class Actions:
+    def cursorless_get_text(
+        target: CursorlessTarget,
+        hide_decorations: bool = False,
+    ) -> str:
+        """Get target text. If hide_decorations is True, don't show decorations"""
+        return cursorless_get_text_action(
+            target,
+            show_decorations=not hide_decorations,
+            ensure_single_target=True,
+        )[0]
+
+    def cursorless_get_text_list(
+        target: CursorlessTarget,
+        hide_decorations: bool = False,
+    ) -> list[str]:
+        """Get texts for multiple targets. If hide_decorations is True, don't show decorations"""
+        return cursorless_get_text_action(
+            target,
+            show_decorations=not hide_decorations,
+            ensure_single_target=False,
+        )
+
 
 def cursorless_get_text_action(
     target: CursorlessTarget,
diff --git a/docs/user/customization.md b/docs/user/customization.md
index 06913dd5eb..c9039286d7 100644
--- a/docs/user/customization.md
+++ b/docs/user/customization.md
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ Cursorless exposes a couple talon actions and captures that you can use to defin
 - `user.cursorless_ide_command(command_id: str, target: cursorless_target)`:
   Performs a built-in IDE command on the given target
   eg: `user.cursorless_ide_command("editor.action.addCommentLine", cursorless_target)`
+- `user.cursorless_get_text(target: CursorlessTarget, hide_decorations: bool = False) -> str`
+  Get text from target. If `hide_decorations` is `true`, will not show decorations.
+- `user.cursorless_get_text_list(target: CursorlessTarget, hide_decorations: bool = False) -> list[str]`
+  Get texts from multiple targets. If `hide_decorations` is `true`, will not show decorations.
 - `user.cursorless_insert(destination: CursorlessDestination, text: Union[str, List[str]])`:
   Insert text at destination.
   eg: `user.cursorless_insert(cursorless_destination, "hello")`
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/spokenFormTest.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/spokenFormTest.ts
index ac048ed91e..8251ddf13b 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/spokenFormTest.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/spokenFormTest.ts
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ export interface SpokenFormTest {
 export function spokenFormTest(
   spokenForm: string,
   action: ActionDescriptor,
+  mockedGetValue?: unknown,
 ): SpokenFormTest {
   return {
     spokenForm,
-    mockedGetValue: undefined,
+    mockedGetValue,
     commands: [command(spokenForm, action)],
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/talonApi.fixture.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/talonApi.fixture.ts
index 956fb52739..2fbb8a1b89 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/talonApi.fixture.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/test/fixtures/talonApi.fixture.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import {
   ActionDescriptor,
+  GetTextActionOptions,
   PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptor,
 } from "@cursorless/common";
 import { spokenFormTest } from "./spokenFormTest";
@@ -135,6 +136,14 @@ const alternateHighlightNothingAction: ActionDescriptor = {
   highlightId: "highlight1",
 };
 
+function getTextAction(options: GetTextActionOptions): ActionDescriptor {
+  return {
+    name: "getText",
+    options,
+    target: decoratedPrimitiveTarget("a"),
+  };
+}
+
 /**
  * These test our Talon api using dummy spoken forms defined in
  * cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_test.talon
@@ -158,6 +167,26 @@ export const talonApiFixture = [
     "test api wrap with snippet by name this",
     wrapWithSnippetByNameAction,
   ),
+  spokenFormTest(
+    "test api get text air",
+    getTextAction({ showDecorations: true, ensureSingleTarget: true }),
+    ["apple"],
+  ),
+  spokenFormTest(
+    "test api get text list on air",
+    getTextAction({ showDecorations: true, ensureSingleTarget: false }),
+    ["apple"],
+  ),
+  spokenFormTest(
+    "test api get text hide decorations air",
+    getTextAction({ showDecorations: false, ensureSingleTarget: true }),
+    ["apple"],
+  ),
+  spokenFormTest(
+    "test api get text hide decorations list on air",
+    getTextAction({ showDecorations: false, ensureSingleTarget: false }),
+    ["apple"],
+  ),
   spokenFormTest(
     "test api extract decorated marks air past bat",
     alternateHighlightAirAndBatAction,