How to scan a document to your computer

Turn a paper page into a file on your computer with a printer that has a scanner, or with a separate scanner. The steps cover Windows 11, Windows 10 and macOS, with no extra software to buy.

What you need

• A scanner, or a printer with a built-in scanner (a multifunction or "all-in-one" printer).
• The scanner connected to the computer by a USB cable, or on the same Wi-Fi or wired network as the computer.
• The scanner switched on. On Windows, the scanner must be added in Settings, as described below.
• About 10 minutes the first time. Later scans take a minute or two.

If your printer is not set up yet, see how to add a printer in Windows or how to add a printer or scanner on a Mac first.

Place the page on the scanner

1. Open the scanner lid. Make sure the glass is clean and dry.
2. On a flatbed (the glass), place the page face down and line it up with the marks near the edge of the glass. Close the lid.
3. If you use an automatic document feeder, follow the arrows or the printer's manual to see whether pages go face up or face down. Straighten the stack and remove staples or clips.

Scan on Windows 11 or Windows 10

Add the scanner if needed

1. Connect the scanner with USB and turn it on, or make sure a network scanner is on the same network as your PC. Windows usually installs a USB scanner by itself.
2. On Windows 11, open Settings then Bluetooth & devices then Printers & scanners. On Windows 10, open Settings then Devices then Printers & scanners.
3. Check that your scanner or multifunction printer is in the list. If not, select Add device (Windows 11) or Add a printer or scanner (Windows 10), select it, and follow the prompts.

Use the Windows Scan app

1. Right-click Start and select Search. Type Windows Scan and under Apps select Scan.
2. If the app is missing, install Windows Scan from the Microsoft Store. It is free.
3. Under Scanner, check that the right scanner is chosen.
4. Under Source, choose Flatbed for the glass or Feeder for the document feeder. Auto-configured is usually fine.
5. Under File type, choose JPEG, PNG, TIFF or Bitmap. The app does not list PDF. See scanner resolution (DPI) and file formats explained to choose.
6. To change the folder, select Show more, select the link under Save file to, choose a folder in the Select Folder window and select Select Folder.
7. Select Scan at the bottom of the window. The scanner starts scanning.
8. When it finishes, select View to open the scan in the Photos app, or Close.

If you did not choose a folder, scans are saved to the Scans folder inside Pictures in your user folder. Open File Explorer and go there to find your file.

Scan on a Mac

1. Place the page on the glass or in the feeder.
2. Choose the Apple menu, then System Settings, and click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down. On macOS before Ventura, open System Preferences instead.
3. Select your scanner in the Printers list, then click Open Scanner.
4. Select Use Document Feeder if you use the feeder. Leave it unselected for the glass.
5. Choose a folder or an app from the Scan To pop-up menu.
6. Click Show Details to see the other settings, such as Kind (text, black and white, or color), Resolution and Format. If you choose PDF, you can also turn on text recognition (OCR) and combine several items into one file.
7. Click Scan. The file goes to the place you chose.

Check that it worked

• Open the saved file. The page should be straight, readable and complete, with nothing cut off.
• If it looks crooked or has a shadow on one side, scan again with the page flat against the corner mark and the lid fully closed.
• If a photo looks dull, scan again and compare the settings.

If something goes wrong

• Scanner not in the list: see scanner not detected: how to fix it.
• Network scanner will not respond: some network printers need "scan to computer" turned on in the maker's software or on the printer. Check that the printer and computer are on the same network.
• Printer shows offline: see printer offline: how to get it back online.
• Do not call a number from a pop-up or advert. Use the support page of the printer maker's website.

Frequently asked questions