How To Scan Documents Using Your Smartphone

Have you ever been in a situation where you quickly needed a digitized version of a paper document and wondered how to get it? Many of us have been in such situations where we might not have a desktop scanner or copy machine to scan a physical document quickly. In such situations, your smartphone or tablet could be a lifesaver. If you need to send a digitized document to someone quickly, with your smartphone, you can now easily scan the document and send it through mail or fax. However, for bulk scanning, it is ideal to rely on a reliable document scanning company that uses advanced technologies and software to perform the process quickly and provide the documents in the desired digital formats on time.

We all are familiar with the process of creating digital copies with a desktop scanner – which is similar to a photocopier. Similarly, these days, smartphones can also capture high-quality scans of physical documents with their built-in cameras. This makes the scanning process faster and more convenient compared to a traditional scanner.

Let’s see how you can scan documents with your phone:

• • Decide what information you need to capture and prepare the paper documents for scanning.

 

• • Keep the physical document that you want to scan on a flat surface – such as a desk or table.

 

• • Avoid shadows and indirect light as it can cause certain parts of the document to be unreadable after scanning. Instead use bright, direct lighting on your document.

 

• • Open the scanner app on your phone.
    • • If you have an iOS smartphone, go to Notes. This is a pre-installed, free mobile app for iOS devices which you can use to scan your documents with the device’s camera.

     

    • • If you have an Android smartphone, it’s better to use Google Drive as your scanning app. There is no need to download an additional app because Google Drive includes a document-scanning function. All you have to do is, open the Google Drive app, tap the Add (+) button on the bottom-right corner of the screen and place the document you want to scan on a flat surface.Image Source: https://static01.nyt.com/

     

    • Or download a separate mobile scanning app to your device that can convert text documents into PDF files. Some of the most popular scanner apps are Scanbot, TurboScan PDF Scanner, Abbyy FineReader PDF, CamScanner, Genius Scan and Adobe Scan.

 

• • Follow the instructions that appear in the app.

 

• • Usually you’ll be required to place the device directly above the document and use the device’s camera to take a photo of the paper document.

 

• • Hold your mobile device directly above the physical document to avoid distorting the scan.

 

• • Once the photo is clicked, the document will be saved as an image or a PDF file on your device.

 

• You could then email the image or PDF file to the required person, upload it to your computer, or simply save it on the device for your records.

This method of scanning is actually a lifesaver, during these remote working days. It’s now much easier when you have technology that helps you work well in an unfamiliar setting instead of getting in the way of your productivity.

Choosing the right scanning method depends on your usage or the size and number of documents you need to scan and convert. Experienced companies that provide document scanning services can transform bulk documents into the desired format, making the data easy to access, store, and manage.