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How to scan documents on Android
You can scan any document directly from your camera app if you have a Samsung Galaxy phone with One UI 2 or higher or a Google Pixel phone with Google Camera 7.2 or higher. If you’re using a different Android skin, don’t worry; Google Drive has a quick and easy method, or you can choose one of our top picks for the best document scanner apps. Here’s how to scan a document on Android.
QUICK ANSWER
To scan a document on Android, download and open Google Drive. Then, tap Create New and select Scan. Aim your camera flat over the document and press the center button. You can then adjust any details to the scanned image afterward.
KEY SECTIONS
How to scan documents with Samsung Galaxy
If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, you can scan documents directly, so long as you have One UI 2 or higher. Most Galaxy phones from the past few years should have the feature, as Samsung is already rolling out One UI 4 to the Galaxy S20 and S21 series.
Simply launch the camera app from your Galaxy device and line it up with a document to start scanning. When you see yellow lines border the paper, select Tap to scan.
You can then move the corners of the document to add or remove any unnecessary parts. When you are happy with the scanned area, tap Save.
Once the scan has been saved, you can view your document within the Gallery app.
How to scan documents with Google Pixel
Scanning a document with your Google Pixel phone is easy with Google Lens. But Pixel phones with Google Camera 7.2 or higher will also have a scanner built-in to the camera.
Open the camera app and point it at a document, and you should see the option to Scan a document near the bottom of the screen.
Tap that, and you will see a white outline to specify the area you want to scan. Make any necessary adjustments and select Save to scan the document.
How to scan documents with Google Drive
Google Drive is a reliable go-to service for scanning documents regardless of which Android skin you have. It’s also better to convert your scans into PDF documents.
Firstly, open the Google Drive app and tap the + icon in the bottom right. Under the Create a new menu, tap Scan.
Position your phone’s camera to face the document and tap the center button when you’re ready to scan the image.
Lastly, tap Save to upload your document to Google Drive. You can crop, rotate or adjust the scan’s color as needed. If you want to upload multiple scans simultaneously, tap the + icon in the bottom left.
FAQs
Yes, you can scan a document with your Android phone using Google Drive.
Follow the steps in this guide to scan a document with Google Drive. You can then access your documents from your Google Drive on any device.
If you have an iPhone with iOS 11 or above, open the Notes app, tap the Camera icon, and select Scan Documents.
- Download a document scanning app from Google Play Store like Google Drive, Adobe Scan, or CamScanner.
- Open the app, and look for the ‘Scan’ or ‘Camera’ icon.
- Place your document on a flat, well-lit surface.
- Align your phone’s camera with the document and take a picture. The app will automatically convert the image into a scanned document.
- Download a document scanning app that supports PDF output, like Adobe Scan.
- Open the app, and press ‘Scan’ or ‘Camera.’
- Take a picture of your document.
- Review the scan and make adjustments if needed.
- Save the scan. Select ‘PDF’ as your preferred file type when saving.
There could be several reasons: your camera might not be working correctly, the scanning app might have a glitch, or your device may not have enough storage space. Try troubleshooting by restarting your phone, updating or reinstalling the scanning app, and clearing some storage space. If the issue persists, you may need to contact Samsung support.