How to scan a document in a Windows computer

If you're looking for an article connected really to scan a archive successful a Windows machine past you've travel to nan correct place. Being capable to quickly and easy scan beingness documents is really thief for some individual and master reasons.

While tons of places now judge PDF documents (as good arsenic Word documents) online, location are times erstwhile you person a beingness portion of insubstantial and request to scan that in, specified arsenic pinch driver's licence photos aliases hand-written notes.

So, let's person a look astatine immoderate easy ways to scan a beingness archive utilizing immoderate of nan best scanners (or printer pinch a scanner) and a Windows PC – caller and old, nan process has mostly stayed nan same.

Tools and requirements

• A Windows PC
• A scanner aliases printer pinch a scanner
• An app for illustration Windows Scan

Steps for really to scan a archive

• Place nan archive you want scanned onto nan scanner
• Open nan Windows Scan app, disposable for free connected nan Microsoft Store
• Find your scanner and cheque nan settings are correct
• Scan nan archive and prevention it successful your desired format

Step by measurement guide

1. Open nan scanner and spot nan document

The first measurement is to group up your scanner, consulting nan manual aliases online instructions. All scanners are different, but nan basal ideas are nan same. You'll request to make judge nan scanning furniture is cleanable from particulate and different debris, your scanner is powered on, and it is connected to your PC either via an online relationship aliases a physical, wired connection.

2. Open Windows Scan connected your Windows PC

Windows Scan is Microsoft's ain scanning software, and while different companies do make akin tools, we urge conscionable going for nan simplest action here. It's a free app connected nan Microsoft Store and should activity pinch astir PCs that usage Windows 8.1 aliases higher.

3. Make judge your scanner and your PC are talking

Once your scanner is connected and you've opened Windows Scan, nan 2 should recognise each other, and you should beryllium capable to spot previews of documents successful nan Windows Scan interface. In astir cases, this will beryllium automatic.

Windows Scan does see a assortment of different settings, located connected nan left-half of nan app, to prime your scanner, alteration nan source, and past prevention successful different record types, and truthful on. You tin take nan archive size, too.

If you don't spot your scanner, spell to Windows Settings → Devices → Printers & Scanners → Add a printer aliases scanner, and click Add Device.

4. Make judge nan archive is consecutive and scan

Now nan nosy part: make judge your archive is aligned correctly (most scanners will person existent lines for different size pages), spell to Windows Scan, and property Scan. There is an action to preview, too, should you want to cheque that everything is successful order.

That's it! Your beingness archive will now look connected your Windows PC, astir apt aft immoderate whirring from nan scanner itself. Enjoy nan resulting PDF, JPEG, aliases immoderate record type you need.

BONUS: Sheet-fed vs. flatbed scanners

One last constituent of information is nan type of scanner you have, and location are broadly 2 categories: sheet-fed and flatbed.

As nan names imply, for nan erstwhile you're going to person to provender sheets of papers (either individually aliases together) into nan scanner. These types of scanners are usually much high-end, arsenic they tin cater to much intensive scanning loads, specified arsenic stapled documents (but retrieve to region nan staples to debar damaging your scanner!)

The 2nd type, flatbed, are nan much communal and require placing nan expanse of insubstantial onto nan "bed" for nan sensor to prime up nan content.

The resulting scans are nan same, and Windows Scan tin interface pinch some types, but it's worthy considering.

FAQs for scanning documents

What is nan champion scanner?

We've spent a batch of clip testing nan best scanners and nan Canon Maxify GX4020 / GX4050 (US/UK) came retired connected apical for astir people, acknowledgment to its blend of precocious scan resolution, positive scan, print, fax, and transcript functionality, and an economical ink vessel model.

For astir location agency tasks, we urge nan Epson ES-C380W, which has nan use of being really portable and easy to use, while besides scanning to a USB thrust and machine natively.

Which scanner should mini businesses buy?

This guideline was mostly aimed astatine those looking to scan documents astatine home, but nan world of business besides has a batch of uses for scanners.

We recovered that nan Brother ADS-4900W is nan champion stake for businesses owed to its accelerated and reliable scanning and meticulous OCR. However, nan ADS-4900W sadly doesn't support Mac, truthful make judge your agency runs connected Windows.

Should I get a scanner, aliases conscionable usage a printer?

The result is beautiful overmuch nan aforesaid from having a dedicated scanner compared to astir of nan best all-in-one printers, and truthful it really comes down to really overmuch scanning you expect to do.

For astir people, having a printer that tin besides scan is nan perfect option, and astir apt saves a spot of money. But hardcore scanners mightiness want to see a standalone portion that comes pinch much features.

Final thoughts

Scanning documents is simply a really useful point to beryllium capable to do for each kinds of different reasons, some successful master and individual settings. Uploading vacation snaps, applying for charismatic documents, and galore different tasks are made easier by scanning.

For Windows users, we urge sticking to Windows Scan, which has nan use of being made by Microsoft specifically for Windows PCs that usage Windows 8.1 and upwards, which is almost each PC going successful 2024.

We dream this article helped you scan your documents quickly and easily.