‘Scan’ documents, even without a scanner

With a scanner you convert a paper document into a digital version. It can be useful to have your own scanner at home if you regularly want to store something made of paper on the computer. There are individual scanning devices for sale, but an all-in-one device is also an option. You then have a printer, scanner and copier in one. But you don’t necessarily need a special scanning device to digitize something on paper.

A photo file often gives a good representation of a document. With a digital camera, for example the camera on the smartphone, it is fine to make a digital version of a document. Place the document on a flat surface and make sure it lies flat. Then take a picture right above it. Possibly with flash. Make sure that the text and/or images are clearly visible. Crop the photo if necessary. Only show the document in this way and not the table or floor below.

If you have taken a photo with the smartphone, crop it immediately. You can do that on iPhone in the Photos app and on Android devices with the Google Photos app. The latter even has a handy automatic function for it.

To crop a photo on iPhone:

• Open the photo of the document in the Photos app.
• Tap on Change.
• Tap the ‘Crop’ icon .
• The photo is surrounded by a frame with thicker corners and lines. Hold your finger on such a line or corner and drag it to move the frame.
• Do this as often as necessary to get the document properly framed. If necessary, drag the photo within the frame.
• Satisfied? Tap on Ready.

It’s easy for anyone who uses the Google Photos app. That app automatically cuts a document from the background.

• Take a photo of the document on a contrasting surface (white paper on a dark table, for example).
• Open the photo in the Google Photos app.
• Tap the icon with the three sliders .
• Tap the nine dots icon .
• Tap on Crop Document > Car.
• A frame appears around the document. If the document is not completely framed, hold your finger on one of the corners and drag the frame.
• Tap on Finished and the document is cropped.
• Finally tap Save.

If you take a photo, you will be left with a digital photo file. But sometimes a pdf document is needed. There are useful apps for that. Take a photo of your document with the app, the app ensures that everything is shown straight and clearly legible and turns it into a PDF.

For example, a special scanning app is Genius Scan. Download the app for free on your mobile device.

• Genius Scan for Android devices
• Genius Scan for iPhone/iPad

Anyone who owns an iPad or iPhone will always have a scanner at hand. It is part of the Notes app. Scan one or more pages as follows:

• Open the app Notes.
• Create a new note from the sheet icon with a pencil or open an existing note.
• If necessary, above the keyboard, first tap the plus sign in the circle and then the camera icon.
• Tap on Scan documents.
• The camera becomes active. Visualize what you want to scan.
• In many cases, the page is automatically recognized and scanned. A yellow box appears over it and a thumbnail of the page moves to the bottom of the screen. If this does not happen automatically, press the round print button on the screen and drag the corners if necessary to fully display the page. Finally tap Preserve scan.
• The screen says ‘Ready for next scan’. Scan the next page if necessary. You can do this with as many pages as you need.
• Ready to scan? Tap on Keep (#) (# stands for the number of scans).
• The scanned document appears in the note, with room for your own notes.
• With a tap on the scan you can enlarge it. It is also possible to zoom in.
• The scan is a PDF document. Tap the scan in the note and via the Share button you can save it in the Files app, or send it via email, for example.
• Tap on Ready to close the scan, you are back in the note.

You would almost forget, but the copy shop still exists. The equipment is available there to scan documents yourself, or it will be done for you. The options differ per copy shop. Be well informed in advance about the price.