How to scan a document to PDF
- Press Use camera. Your browser asks if this page may use the camera. Say yes. On a phone, the back camera is used.
- Take one picture per page. Lay the page flat in good light, fill the frame, and press the round button. Turn to the next page and repeat, then press Done.
- Check each page. Click a page to open it in the editor. Drag the four corners onto the corners of the paper. The Finished page preview shows the result, cropped and straightened.
- Put the pages in order. Drag them, or use the arrows under each one. Turn a page with Left or Right if it is sideways.
- Choose the look and the page size, then press Make PDF and download it.
No camera on this device? Take the pictures with your phone's camera app, or use photos you already have: press Choose photos or drop them on the box.
Straight pages from slanted photos
A photo of a page is rarely square. The page is often a little tilted, and the far edge looks narrower than the near one. When you set the four corners, the tool uses perspective correction to stretch the page back into a flat rectangle, so the lines of text run straight across.
The tool also looks for the edges of the page by itself. This works best when the paper lies on a darker surface, such as a wooden table. If it can't find the edges with confidence, it leaves the whole photo and you set the corners yourself. Find edges tries again, and Whole photo resets the corners.
Choosing a look
- Document turns the paper white and the text dark, and removes shadows from your hand or phone. It is the best choice for letters, receipts and forms.
- Grayscale keeps the photo as it is, without color.
- Color is for pages with photos, stamps or colored marks.
- Black and white makes the smallest files, but faint pencil may disappear.
Tick Make the text searchable (OCR) to add an invisible layer of text, so you can search and copy the words in the PDF. It uses the same text reader as our OCR PDF tool and adds a few seconds per page.
Tips for a sharp scan
- Use daylight or a bright room, and avoid the shadow of your phone.
- Hold the camera straight above the page.
- Keep still for a moment while you press the button, so the picture is not blurred.
A live camera picture is usually a little less detailed than a photo from your phone's camera app. For small print, take photos with the camera app and add them with Choose photos.
Private by design
The camera picture goes straight from your camera into your browser. The photos and the PDF are made on your device and never uploaded. The camera turns off when you press Done.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my browser ask for the camera?
Browsers always ask before a website can use the camera. The camera only starts after you press Use camera, and nothing is recorded or sent anywhere.
Can I add more pages later?
Yes. Press Scan more pages or Add files. New pages go at the end, and you can drag them into place.
What page size does the PDF use?
US Letter or A4, depending on where you are, or the shape of the cropped page. Pick one under Page size.
How do I make the PDF smaller?
Choose Black and white or Grayscale. Both make much smaller files than Color, and Document sits in between.
This tool works in your browser: your files are processed on your device and are never uploaded. Check the result before you share it or delete the original.