6 Quick Ways to Scan Documents to PDF on Mobile or Desktop

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Turn a paper document into a PDF file
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Scanning documents is easier than ever—you can even use your iPhone, iPad, or Android instead of a flatbed scanner or all-in-one printer! And if you've already scanned your document in a different format, we'll show you how to convert it into an easy-to-send PDF. This wikiHow article will teach you the best ways to scan documents into PDF on any computer, phone, or tablet.

Scanning Documents to PDF Format

  • On iPhones, open a new note in the Notes app. Tap the camera icon and select Scan Documents to start scanning documents.
  • On Android, open Google Drive. Click + and select Scan to start scanning documents.
  • On Windows, connect your scanner to your PC. Open Windows Fax and Scan and select New Scan .
Method 1
Method 1 of 6:

Using iPhone and iPad

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  1. It has an icon resembling a notepaper sheet with a yellow top. Tap the icon on your Home screen to open Notes.
    • Notes comes pre-installed on your iPhone or iPad. If you have deleted the app, you can download it again for free from the App Store .
  2. It's the icon that resembles a pencil and a sheet of paper. It's in the lower-right corner on iPhone and the upper-right corner on iPad.
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  3. It's the icon that resembles a camera. You can find this above the keyboard. This displays a menu for the camera. [1]
  4. This is the second option.
  5. Make sure the entire page is in view of your camera. Hold your iPhone or iPad steady and your iPhone or iPad will automatically take a picture of the document page. The page will flash yellow when your iPhone or iPad detects the page.
    • For best results, make sure you place the paper of your document on a contrasting surface. Place white paper on a dark surface, or dark paper on a light surface.
    • If you are having problems capturing the document in automatic mode, tap Auto in the upper-right corner (iPhone), or Manual on the side (iPad) to switch to manual mode. Then tap the large circle button to capture an image of the page manually. Tap and drag the four circles around the page to adjust the white outline. Then, tap Keep scan to save the page.
  6. After scanning the first page of your document, place the next page on the surface and hold your iPhone or iPad over the second page to automatically scan the next page. Repeat for as many pages are necessary.
  7. It's the thumbnail image of your most recent scan in the lower-left corner. This displays a preview of all your scans.
  8. If you want to edit a page, tap the page to display a full-screen preview.
  9. Tap one of the options at the top or bottom of the screen to edit the page. The options are as follows:
    • Tap Retake or the plus (+) icon to take another image and replace the scan.
    • Tap the icon that resembles a square with an arrow in the upper-right corner to rotate the page.
    • Tap the icon with three circles to select a filter for the page.
    • Tap the icon that resembles two angles forming a square to crop the page.
    • Tap the trashcan icon to delete the page.
    • Tap Done when you are done editing the page.
  10. It's the icon that resembles a square with an arrow pointing up. It's in the upper-right corner. This opens the Share menu.
    • If you are using an iPad, tap the icon with three dots (⋯) in the upper-right corner instead. Then tap Send a copy .
  11. This allows you to save the scan as a PDF to your iPhone storage or your iCloud Drive.
    • Alternatively, you can tap Email to email the PDF to someone else.
  12. Tap On my iPhone/iPad or iCloud Drive. Then tap a folder you want to save the scan to.
  13. This saves the scan as a PDF to the location you selected.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 6:

Using Android

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  1. You'll need to log in to your Google account to use Google Drive .
    • If you aren't already on your Google Drive homepage, tap Home in the bottom-left corner to do so now.
  2. It's in the bottom-right corner of the screen. A pop-up menu will open.
  3. This camera-shaped icon is in the pop-up menu.
    • If you're using the camera for the first time, you may receive a pop-up window. Select either While using the app or Only this time .
  4. The document should be centered in the middle of the screen.
    • Make sure that your document is flat and completely visible before proceeding.
  5. It's a blue-and-white circle at the bottom of the screen. This will scan your document.
    • Select Retry if you want to take the photo again. Otherwise, click OK .
    • Google Drive will automatically convert your picture into a scan. If there is white space, it will automatically locate the borders of your document.
  6. This is in the bottom-right corner of the screen. This will save your scan.
    • To add more pages to the PDF, tap + and then scan another item.
  7. Tap the three dots icon in the top-right corner, then tap Download .
    • To email the scan, tap Send a copy .
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Method 3
Method 3 of 6:

Adobe Scan (Android and iOS)

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  1. Adobe Scan is a mobile app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices that can be used to scan documents into PDF format using your camera. You can download Adobe Scan for free from the Google Play Store on Android or the App Store on iPhone and iPad. Use the following steps to download and install Adobe Scan:
    • Open the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone and iPad).
    • Tap the Search tab (iPhone and iPad only).
    • Enter "Adobe Scan" in the search bar.
    • Tap Adobe Scan in the search results.
    • Tap GET or Install next to the Adobe Scan icon.
  2. It has a blue icon with the Adobe logo. Tap the icon on your Home screen or Apps menu to open Adobe Scan. Alternatively, you can tap Open in the Google Play Store or App Store once the app is finished downloading.
  3. You can sign in using your Google account, Facebook account, or Apple ID . Tap Sign in with Google , Sign in with Facebook , or Sign in with Apple to sign in with your Google, Facebook, or Apple account.
    • Alternatively, if you already have an Adobe ID or want to make one, you can tap, Sign in or sign up at the bottom. Either sign up for a new Adobe ID using your email address or sign in with your existing Adobe ID username and password.
  4. To do so, tap Allow or Ok when prompted.
  5. To do so, hold your phone or tablet above the document you want to scan and tap the capture button. It's the large circular button at the bottom of the screen.
  6. This saves the page you just scanned and allows you to scan the next page.
    • If you're not happy with how the image looks, you can tap Retake and take the picture again. Alternatively, you can tap and drag the blue circular handles in the corners of the document to adjust the blue outline around the document. Then tap Adjust and save .
  7. Just like you did with the first page, hold your phone or tablet over the next page of your document and press the capture button at the bottom of the screen. Repeat for as many pages as your document contains.
    • Retake images or adjust the blue outline around the documents as needed.
  8. Once you've taken a picture of your document, you will see a small thumbnail image of the picture in the lower-right corner. Tap this image to display the scanned document. The scanned document should display just the pages without any of the background or table the document was sitting on.
    • If you want to delete any pages, tap and hold the thumbnail icon to display a thumbnail image of all the pages. Tap the red "x" icon in the upper-left corner of the image of the page you want to delete, and then tap Delete .
  9. To do so, tap the title at the top of the page. Type a name for the document in the first bar of the pop-up. Then tap the blue button that says Rename .
  10. To do so, tap the page you want to adjust and then use the tools at the bottom of the screen to make adjustments. The adjustment tools are as follows:
    • Tap Add Page to scan another page for your document.
    • Tap Reorder to change the order of the pages. Then tap and drag the pages to change their order.
    • Tap Crop to adjust the page cropping.
    • Tap Rotate to rotate the page.
    • Tap Filers to change the look of the page. You can select, original color, auto-color, light text, greyscale, or whiteboard.
    • Tap Cleanup and to try to clean up messy looking parts of the document. Then use yoru finger to color over the areas you want to clean up. Then tap the checkmark icon in the upper-right corner.
    • Tap Resize to change the page size. Then select one of the options at the bottom of the screen.
    • Tap Delete to remove the page.
  11. It's in the upper-right corner. This saves the PDF to your phone or tablet. You can view the document in Adobe Scan, Adobe Acrobat , your web browser, or any other app that can view PDFs.
    • Alternatively, you can save the document as a JPEG image once you have scanned the document. Tap Save as JPEG once you finish scanning the document to do so.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 6:

Using Windows

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  1. Depending on your scanner, you can do this via the USB cable, or you can connect wirelessly over your network if your scanner has that feature.
    • Every scanner is different, so consult the manufacturer's user guide for instructions on how to properly connect your scanner to your computer.
  2. If you have a flatbed scanner, lift up the lid and place the document face down on the glass top of the scanner. Make sure the document is lined up with any alignment markings on the scanner. If your scanner has an automatic document feeder, place the document face up in the tray.
  3. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  4. This will search your computer for the Fax and Scan program.
  5. It's a printer-shaped icon at the top of the Start window. Doing so will open your PC's Fax and Scan program.
  6. This button is in the upper-left side of the Fax and Scan window. Clicking it opens a new window.
  7. If there are multiple scanners on your network, check the "Scanner" section at the top of the window to ensure that the one listed there is the one you want to use.
    • If the scanner currently selected isn't the one you want to use, click Change... and then select the scanner.
  8. Click the "Profile" drop-down box, then click one of the following options:
    • Photo
    • Documents
  9. Click the "Source" drop-down box, then click one of the following options:
    • Feeder - Select this option if your documents are fed into the scanner through a chute. Used for scanning multiple documents into one PDF.
    • Flatbed - Pick this option if your scanner has a lid that you lift up to place the documents.
  10. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will prompt your document to begin scanning into your computer.
    • You can also change color options here before clicking Scan .
  11. Once your document finishes scanning, you'll click this tab in the upper-left corner of the window. A drop-down menu will appear.
  12. It's in the drop-down menu.
  13. It's in the large box below "Select Printer."
    • If this isn't an option, use the default settings to scan your image into your computer as an image, then convert the image to a PDF .
  14. This option is in the lower-right side of the window.
  15. Click a folder on the left side of the window.
  16. Do this in the field to the right of the "File name" heading.
  17. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will save your scanned file as a PDF in your selected save location.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 6:

Using Mac

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  1. Depending on your scanner , you can do this via the USB cable, or you can connect wirelessly using your home Wi-Fi if your scanner has that feature.
    • Every scanner is different, so consult the manufacturer's user guide for instructions on how to properly connect your scanner to your computer.
  2. If you have a flatbed scanner, lift up the lid and place the document face down on the glass top of the scanner. Make sure the document is lined up with any alignment markings on the scanner. If your scanner has an automatic document feeder, place the document face up in the tray.
  3. It's the Apple logo icon in the upper-left corner of your desktop. This displays the Apple menu.
  4. It's in the Apple menu. On older versions, this will be System Preferences .
  5. It has an icon that resembles a printer.
  6. The list to the left lists all printers and scanners that have ever been connected to your computer. Click your current scanner model to select it.
    • Printers and scanners that have a red dot next to them and say "Offline" are not available for use. If you see this next to your scanner, make sure it is powered on and connected to your computer.
  7. This depends on what type of scanner you are using. If you are using a flatbed scanner, uncheck this option. [2]
  8. It's the second button in the lower-right corner. This displays all scanner options.
  9. If the checkbox next to "Use custom size" is checked, uncheck it and then use the drop-down menu next to "Size" to select your paper size. US Letter (8.5" x 11") is the most common size.
  10. Use the drop-down menu next to "Scan to" to select where to save the document to. By default, scanned documents and images are saved to your "Pictures" folder. You can select your "Documents" folder, or save it to your Desktop so that you can easily find it.
  11. Use the drop-down menu next to "Format" to select "PDF."
  12. If you are scanning multiple pages, be sure to click the checkbox next to "Combine into single document." This ensures that all your pages are saved to the same file.
  13. This scans the first page of your document.
  14. If you are using a flatbed scanner, place the second page of the document face down on the glass surface of the scanner. If you are using an automatic document feeder, place all pages of the document feeder in the tray.
    • If you do not have a scanner that is capable of scanning both sides of the page, you will need to turn the page over and reinsert it in the scanner to scan both sides of the page.
  15. This scans the second page of your document. Repeat for as many pages as you need to scan. When you are finished, your document will be saved to the location you selected.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 6:

Converting a Scanned Image File to PDF

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  1. Go to http://png2pdf.com/ in your computer's web browser. If you weren't able to scan a document directly into a PDF, this website will allow you to turn a scanned image (e.g., a PNG) file into a PDF.
    • If you scanned your document into your computer as a JPG file, go to http://jpg2pdf.com/ instead.
  2. It's in the middle of the page. Doing so opens a File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window.
  3. Go to the folder in which your scanned image was saved, then click the image to select it.
  4. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. This will upload the image to the PNG (or JPG) to PDF site.
  5. This should only take a few seconds.
  6. It's below your converted file in the middle of the window. Doing so will prompt your PDF to download onto your computer.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I identify a PDF once it's scanned?
    Community Answer
    When you save your PDF, you can select the destination of where it saves to, like the desktop or your downloads folder. You can also rename a PDF after it has been scanned.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 8
  • Question
    I have a folder of 50 pages (files) that I wish to scan into PDFs. How can I save this folder with each page having its own file identifier rather than as one PDF file with 50 pages?
    Community Answer
    First, save all the pages as a PDF in one large document. Then, go to "Tools," open "Organize Pages," and select "Extract." You can then select "Extract pages as separate files." Each page can then be renamed and saved to any destination.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 6
  • Question
    After saving the scanned document, how do I trace it and attach it to email?
    Community Answer
    When you scan your documents, they usually go into a 'scanned documents' folder. So to attach it to an email, just click on attach and then in Documents you just find that document and attach it.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
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      Tips

      • People who use Windows 7 and lower may not be able to scan directly into PDF. If so, using the default scan settings and then converting the scanned image into a PDF is the best option.
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      Warnings

      • Fax and Scan (Windows) and Image Capture (Mac) are free for their respective platforms. If you're attempting to use Adobe Acrobat or something similar, however, the scan to PDF function will require a paid membership or account.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/108963
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/scan-images-or-documents-using-your-mac-mh28032/mac

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Place the document on the scanner.
      2. Open Windows Fax and Scan .
      3. Click New Scan .
      4. Select your scanner if not already selected.
      5. Select either Photo or Documents .
      6. Adjust other options and click Scan .
      7. Click File .
      8. Click Print...
      9. Select Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer.
      10. Name the file and click Save .

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