How to Scan Documents on Android: A Step-by-Step Guide

Want to know how to scan documents on your Android phone practically, without needing a scanner machine?

Here are various applications that can help you scan documents directly from your phone, from Google Drive to Adobe Scan.

With the ease of scanning documents on your phone, you can save time and effort without having to look for a scanner elsewhere.

Let’s learn how to scan documents on your phone through this article and start scanning documents quickly and easily directly from your Android phone!

4 Ways to Scan Documents on Your Android Phone

There are several applications, both built-in and those that need to be installed, that can help you scan documents from your phone. Here are the application names and how to scan documents on your Android phone and convert them to PDF format:

Google Drive

If you have the Google Drive application, you don’t need to install another application to scan PDFs. Usually, this application is already on Android phones and is a default application.

Note how to scan documents on your phone to PDF with Google Drive:

1. Open the Google Drive application.
2. Click the + logo, then select Scan.
3. Point the camera at the document, take a picture of it.
4. You can crop, rotate, or retake the image if needed.
5. Click Done to save the document.
6. Change the file name and adjust the storage location.
7. Click Save when finished.

Office Lens

Office Lens is an application from Microsoft where you can directly save scanned documents to OneDrive. This application is available for Android and iOS. Office Lens can correct the shape, position of the document, and lighting so that the document is easily readable.

How to scan documents on your phone with Office Lens:

1. Download and install the Office Lens application on your Android or iOS phone.
2. Open the application, point the camera at the document you want to scan.
3. Press the camera button after making sure the document position is neat.
4. Adjust the image if necessary. You can rotate, crop, or make other adjustments.
5. Press the checkmark button, then type the file name.
6. Select the storage location -> Save.

Read also: Barcode Scanner App Recommendations on Android and iOS – ASANI

Adobe Scan

Adobe Scan is an application developed by Adobe Systems for mobile devices that allows users to easily convert physical documents into editable PDF files that can be digitally stored.

Here’s how to scan documents on your phone to PDF with Adobe Scan:

1. Download the Adobe Scan application from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Open the application and tap the “+” button.
3. Select “Scan Document”.
4. Position your phone over the document you want to scan.
5. Tap the camera button to take a picture.
6. Adobe Scan will automatically crop and straighten the image.
7. Click “Save” to save the scan to your device.

CamScanner

CamScanner is one of the most popular document scanner applications on mobile phones. This free application is available on Android and iOS phones.

How does CamScanner scan documents on your phone to PDF? Here’s how to scan documents on your phone to PDF with CamScanner:

1. Download and install the CamScanner application on your Android or iOS phone.
2. Open the application, log in using your email account or use it directly without logging in.
3. Press the camera button, then point the camera at the document you want to scan.
4. Edit the image if needed. You can crop or make other adjustments.
5. Change the file name.
6. Save when finished, then share the document in PDF format.

Those are ways to scan documents on your phone to PDF for free. You can choose any application to scan to PDF easily on your phone.

How to Use CamScanner for Document Scanning

How to use CamScanner? CamScanner is a popular application used to scan documents to PDF or scan files to PDF using your phone’s camera. Here’s how to scan PDF in CamScanner:

1. Download and Install the CamScanner Application

• Open the Google Play Store (for Android) or App Store (for iOS).
• Search for “CamScanner” and download the application.
• Once complete, open the CamScanner application.

2. Open the Application and Create an Account (Optional)

• After the application is open, you can create an account to save documents online or skip this step to use the application directly.

3. Start Scanning Documents

• On the main screen, press the camera button or the + icon at the bottom of the screen to start scanning documents.
• Point your phone’s camera at the document you want to scan.
• Make sure the document is within the frame and the lighting is good enough so that the scan results are clear.

4. Capture Document Image

• When the document is in the correct position, press the shutter button (image capture button) to photograph the document.
• CamScanner will automatically detect the edges of the document. You can adjust the boundaries if needed.

5. Adjust Scan Area

• After photographing the document, CamScanner will display the scan area. You can drag the displayed corners or edges to ensure the entire document is cropped properly.
• If it is suitable, press the Next button.

6. Select Processing Mode

• CamScanner provides several image processing modes to clarify scanned documents, such as Original, Magic Color, Gray Mode, and Black & White.
• Choose the mode that best suits your needs.

7. Save or Share Document

• Once you are satisfied with the scan results, press the Save button or the checkmark icon.
• The scanned document will be saved in the CamScanner application.
• You can name the file, add tags, or save it in a specific folder within the application.

8. Share or Save Documents as PDF/JPG

• Select the scanned document from the document list.
• Press the Share icon (arrow-shaped icon pointing out).
• Select the file format you want to use, such as PDF or JPG.
• You can share documents via email, WhatsApp, Google Drive, or other applications.

9. Using Additional Features

• CamScanner also has additional features such as OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to extract text from images, add digital signatures, or add annotations to documents.
• Some of these features require a premium subscription.

10. Editing and Organizing Scanned Documents

• You can edit scanned documents by adding new pages, changing the order of pages, or deleting unnecessary pages.
• Select the document you want to edit, then use the options available at the bottom of the screen.

With these steps on how to scan via your phone using CamScanner, you can scan, save, and share documents easily using the CamScanner application.

Read also: Here’s How to Edit PDF Documents Easily

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