3 Ways to Scan Documents Into PDF

2025 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-23 12:04

This wikiHow teaches you how to scan a paper document and save it as a PDF file on a Mac or Windows computer. If you already have a scanned image of a document, convert it to a PDF file using a free online converter.

Step

Method 1 of 3: On Windows Computer

Step 1. Connect the scanner to the computer

Depending on the scanner you're using, you can do this using a USB cable, or connect it wirelessly over a network if the feature is available.

Each scanner is not the same so you should refer to the manual provided by the manufacturer for instructions on how to properly connect the scanner to the computer

Step 2. Place the document into the scanner

This is the document you want to convert into a PDF.

Step 3. Go to Start

Click the Windows logo in the lower left corner.

Step 4. Type fax and scan into Start

The computer will search for the Fax and Scan program.

Step 5. Click Fax and Scan

The printer icon is located at the top of the Start window. The Fax and Scan program will open on the PC.

Step 6. Click New Scan

It's in the upper-left side of the Fax and Scan window. A new window will be opened.

Step 7. Make sure you have selected the scanner

If there are multiple scanners on the network, check the " Scanner " section at the top of the window to make sure that the scanner you want to use is listed there.

If you do not want to use the currently selected scanner, click Changes… and select the desired scanner.

Step 8. Select the document type

Click the " Profile " drop-down box, then click an option below:

• Photo
• Documents

Step 9. Select the scanner type

Click the " Source " drop-down box, then click an option below:

• Feeders - Select this option when the document must be loaded into the scanner through the chute. It is used to scan multiple documents into one PDF file.
• flatbed - Use this option when the scanner has a cover that must be lifted to place the document.

Step 10. Click Scan at the bottom of the window

The document will start scanning to the computer.

Before clicking Scan, you can also change the color options here.

Step 11. Click File

When the document has finished scanning, click this tab in the upper-left corner of the window. A drop-down menu will be displayed.

Step 12. Click Print… in the drop-down menu

Step 13. Click the " Printer " drop-down box

It's in the upper-left side of the Print window.

Step 14. Click Microsoft Print to PDF

This option is located in the drop-down menu Printer.

If you don't see this option, use the default settings to scan the document into your computer as an image, then convert the image to a PDF

Step 15. Click Print

This option is in the lower right of the window.

Step 16. Choose a location to save the file

Click a folder on the left side of the window.

Step 17. Name the PDF file

Do this in the column to the right of the " File name " heading.

Step 18. Click Save located at the bottom of the window

The scanned file will be saved as a PDF in the location you specified.

Method 2 of 3: On Mac Komputer

Step 1. Connect the scanner to the computer

Depending on the scanner you're using, you can do this using a USB cable, or connect it wirelessly over a network if the feature is available.

Each scanner is not the same so you should refer to the manual provided by the manufacturer for instructions on how to properly connect the scanner to the computer

Step 2. Place the document into the scanner

This is the document you want to convert into a PDF.

Step 3. Click Go

This menu is in the row of options in the upper-left corner of your Mac's screen.

If Go is missing, click the Mac's desktop or open a new Finder window.

Step 4. Click Applications which is at the bottom of the drop-down menu Go.

The Applications folder on your Mac will open.

Step 5. Double click Image Capture

The program icon is a camera. Image Capture will open.

You may have to scroll down the screen to find Image Capture

Step 6. Select the scanner

Click the scanner name in the upper left of the window.

Step 7. Select the scanner type

Click the drop-down box next to "Scan Mode", then click one of the options below:

• Feeders - Select this option when the document must be fed into the scanner through the line. It is used to scan multiple documents into one PDF file.
• flatbed - Use this option when the scanner has a cover that must be lifted to place the document.

Step 8. Select the destination folder

Click the "Scan To" drop-down box, then click a folder (for example Desktop) that you want to use to save the PDF file.

Step 9. Click the Format drop-down box

This box is in the middle of the page on the right.

Step 10. Click PDF

This option is in the drop-down menu Format. Doing so will scan the document in PDF format.

If you don't see this option, use the default settings to scan the document into your computer as an image, then convert the image to a PDF

Step 11. Click Scan located in the lower right corner of the window

Your document will be scanned into your computer and saved as a PDF at the specified location.

Method 3 of 3: Convert Scanned Image To PDF

Step 1. Visit the-p.webp" />

Launch a web browser and visit https://png2pdf.com/. If you can't scan a document directly into a PDF, use this site to convert a scanned file (such as a PNG) into a PDF.

If you are scanning a document to a computer in-j.webp" />

Step 2. Click UPLOAD FILES in the middle of the page

A Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows) window will open.

Step 3. Select the scanned image

Open the folder where the scanned images are stored, then click the desired image to select it.

Step 4. Click Open located in the lower right corner

The image will be uploaded to a-p.webp

Step 5. Wait while the image is converted to PDF

The process only takes a few seconds.

Step 6. Click DOWNLOAD

It's below the converted file in the middle of the window. The converted PDF will be downloaded to your computer.

Tips

Windows 7 and earlier users may not be able to scan documents directly to PDF format. If this is the case, the best option for you is to use the default scan settings, then convert the scanned image to PDF