How to Scan Documents to Your Computer and to PDF

In short

To scan documents to your computer, place the page on the scanner, start a scan from the computer, choose PDF for documents or JPG for photos, and save the file somewhere you’ll find it again. This tutorial shows the built-in way to do that on Windows and Mac, how to put several pages into one PDF, and what to do when the computer can’t see the scanner.

Before you start

Most home printers with a lid on top are “all-in-one” models that can scan as well as print. The scanner usually connects through the same Wi-Fi or USB connection as the printer, so if printing works, scanning normally will too.

You can scan in three common ways:

• From the computer, using a built-in app. This is the method in this tutorial and works with most scanners.
• From the printer’s control panel, choosing a destination such as a computer, email or USB drive. The options depend on your model.
• With the maker’s app, which can add extras such as automatic document cropping. Download it only from the maker’s official website or an app store.

Some scanners need the maker’s full driver package before the computer can scan; see installing printer drivers safely if yours isn’t detected.

Key terms

• Flatbed: the glass surface under the lid, for single pages, books and photos.
• Document feeder (ADF): a tray on top of some scanners that pulls several pages through automatically.
• Resolution (DPI): how much detail a scan captures. Higher numbers mean sharper images and bigger files.
• PDF: a document format that keeps pages looking the same on every device; best for paperwork.
• JPG and PNG: image formats; JPG suits photos, PNG suits sharp graphics.

Lesson: scan on Windows

1. Lift the lid and place the page face down on the glass, lined up with the corner marker. For a document feeder, load pages face up or face down as the tray’s picture shows.
2. Open the Windows Scan app. If it isn’t installed, get the free Windows Scan app from the Microsoft Store. (The older Windows Fax and Scan program, included with many Windows versions, works in a similar way.)
3. Under Scanner, choose your scanner. Under Source, choose Flatbed or Feeder.
4. Select Show more to choose the File type (PDF for documents, JPEG for photos), the color mode and the resolution. For everyday documents, a moderate resolution such as 200 to 300 DPI keeps text sharp and files small.
5. Choose Preview to check the page, then Scan.
6. The app shows where the file was saved, usually a Scans folder inside Pictures. Select View to open it, and rename it to something meaningful.

Checkpoint: open the saved file and zoom in. Text should be readable and the whole page included.

Lesson: scan on a Mac

1. Place the document on the glass or in the feeder.
2. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your all-in-one printer, and click Open Scanner (you may need to choose Scan first).
3. Click Show Details to see all settings. Choose Kind (Text, Black & White, or Color), Resolution, the Format (PDF or JPEG) and where to save it.
4. Click Scan.

You can also scan from the Preview app with File > Import from Scanner, or with the Image Capture app.

Lesson: scan several pages into one PDF

1. If your scanner has a document feeder, load all the pages and choose Feeder as the source. With PDF format selected, most apps save them as one multi-page PDF.
2. On a Mac using the flatbed, set the format to PDF and tick Combine into single document, then scan each page in turn.
3. On Windows using the flatbed, the Windows Scan app saves each page separately. The maker’s scanning app often has an option to add pages to the same PDF; check your model’s software.

Learn more about opening and converting files in our PDFs and file formats tutorial.

Check that it worked

Open the PDF and scroll through every page: they should be in order, straight and readable. Then file it in a sensible folder; our files and folders tutorial has tips on naming.

If something goes wrong

• The computer can’t find the scanner: make sure printing works first, then install the full software package from the maker’s support site, which often adds the scan driver.
• Scans are dark, faint or the wrong colors: change the color mode and brightness options, and clean the scanner glass with a soft, dry cloth.
• Only part of the page appears: check the page sits against the corner marker, and choose the correct paper size or turn off automatic cropping.
• Files are huge: lower the resolution, use grayscale for black-and-white documents, and save as PDF.
• Pages from the feeder jam or skew: remove staples and paper clips, fan the pages, and adjust the feeder guides to the page width.

If none of these help, check the scanner section of the maker’s support pages for your exact model.

FAQ

Can I scan to PDF without extra software?

Yes. The Windows Scan app and the Mac’s built-in scanning tools can both save scans as PDF files, with no extra download needed for most scanners.

What resolution should I use for scanning documents?

For ordinary text documents, around 200 to 300 DPI is plenty. Use higher settings for photos you want to enlarge or print, and remember that higher resolutions create larger files.

Can I scan with my phone instead?

Yes. Many phone apps, including some built into the camera or notes apps, can photograph a document and save it as a PDF. A real scanner still gives flatter, more even results for important paperwork.

Where do my scanned files go?

It depends on the app. The Windows Scan app usually saves to a Scans folder inside Pictures, and Mac scanning lets you choose a location before scanning. When in doubt, search your computer for the file type or date.