Scan Documents Using Your Phone!

Did you know that you can scan a document using your smartphone?

If you have a smartphone with a camera, you can utilize one of several free apps to scan your document into a PDF or other file format. This is incredibly handy when you need to physically sign a document and then send it digitally. Scanning a document with your smartphone is as simple as taking a picture and can save you time and money.

Some of the apps that can be used to scan might already be downloaded on your phone. If you have an iPhone, the Apple Notes app has a scanning feature that can be used. If you have an Android Phone, you can use the Google Drive app to scan documents. These two apps offer basic scanning features like cropping, rotating, and filters. Please note that the scanning feature of Google Drive only works with Android devices.

There are other scanning apps available for download in both Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play Store. The Adobe Scan app has many features, including cropping, rotating, reordering, filters, marking up, and brightness adjustments. This app also has options for scanning whiteboards, books, ID cards, and business cards. A Facebook, Google, Adobe, or Apple account is required to sign into the Adobe Scan app. Signing in allows you to save and organize your scans for future use.

Microsoft has three different apps that have scanning functions: OneDrive, Microsoft 365, and Lens. Both the OneDrive and Microsoft 365 apps require a Microsoft account to sign in. This could simply be a free Microsoft email account like Outlook or Hotmail. Lens does not require the user to utilize an account to sign in. All of these apps offer some features like cropping, rotating, filters, marking up, and brightness adjustments. If you would like to see some of these scanning apps demonstrated, check out Mid-Continent Public Library’s Scanning playlist on our YouTube channel.

Other scanning apps are available, but it is always a good idea to consider the security and legitimacy of any app you download. If scanning a document with personal information, you may want to use an app from a reputable company.

Next time you need to scan a document, reach for your phone!

Brad S.
Consumer Technology Specialist, Digital Learning Department