A person scanning a document on a multifunction printer
Artículo · Printing Blog | Startoner

How to scan documents with your printer step by step

Actualizado 18 julio 2026

Summary: To scan a document you only need a multifunction printer (with a scanner). You can do it from your computer (with the Windows or Mac tool), from your phone (with the manufacturer's app or the camera), and send it directly to an email, a network folder or a USB stick. This guide covers every method step by step, how to combine several pages into a single PDF and which resolution to choose.

Scanning turns a piece of paper into a digital file: a PDF to archive a contract, an image of an invoice, a copy of an ID card. If your printer is a multifunction —it has a scanner lid or a document feeder on top—, you already have everything you need. Let's go through each route, no waffle.

Key points

  • Any multifunction printer (prints + scans) will do; a "print only" printer can't scan.
  • For text you're going to archive or send, 300 DPI is the standard: it's the resolution that NARA (the U.S. National Archives) sets as master for digitising documents so they're OCR-compatible (NARA, 1998/current rev.).
  • Use PDF for documents and JPG only for photos: PDF supports multiple pages and searchable text with OCR.
  • You can scan without a computer: to email, to a network folder or to USB from the panel itself.
  • Scanning uses no ink or toner. Only printed paper consumes any consumable.

Scanning is capturing an image of a piece of paper with the scanner's optical sensor and saving it as a file (PDF or image). It doesn't print anything, it uses no consumable: it only reads.

What do I need before I start scanning?

First of all, confirm that your machine can scan and that the document is properly placed. Most "it won't scan" failures are resolved here: wrong machine, badly placed sheet or device off the network. Check these three points and you'll save yourself half the problems.

  • Confirm that your printer is a multifunction (prints and scans). If it only prints, it won't be able to scan, however many apps you install.
  • Place the document face down on the glass, aligned with the marked corner; or face up in the automatic feeder (ADF) if you're going to scan several sheets.
  • To scan to the computer or phone, both must be on the same Wi-Fi network as the printer (or connected by USB cable). If you don't know whether it's on the network, see our guide to how to connect the printer to Wi-Fi.

The ADF (automatic document feeder) is the top tray where you stack several sheets so the printer scans them one after another without you having to change them by hand.

How do I scan from the computer (Windows and Mac)?

From the computer you have two routes: the tool the operating system already comes with, or the manufacturer's app. For a quick scan, the system one is plenty. If you need OCR or fine adjustments, use the official app (HP Smart, Epson Smart Panel, Canon IJ Scan Utility, Brother iPrint&Scan), which gives more control.

On Windows

  1. Open the Windows Scan app (free on the Microsoft Store) or Windows Fax and Scan, already included.
  2. Select your printer, the source type (glass or feeder), the colour and the file format (PDF or JPG).
  3. Press Preview to adjust the framing and then Scan.
  4. The file is saved in the Scanned Documents folder or the one you choose.

On HP machines, to scan to the computer you first have to enable the "Scan to computer" option from HP Printer Assistant or the HP Smart app; then you choose the PC on the printer's panel and press Send (HP Support, 2024).

On Mac

  1. Open System Settings → Printers & Scanners and select your printer.
  2. Press Scanner → Open Scanner.
  3. Choose destination, format and resolution, and press Scan.

The manufacturer's app also scans from the computer and usually gives more options, such as text recognition (OCR). If one day the machine prints fine but doesn't scan, it's not unusual: they're two different routes, and sometimes only the scanning fails even though printing is running smoothly (see the printer won't print even though it has ink if you also have printing issues).

How do I scan from the phone?

From the phone there are two ways depending on the quality you need: the manufacturer's app, which uses the printer's real scanner, or the phone's camera for a quick copy. The official app gives the better result because it digitises with the multifunction's sensor, not with a photo.

  • With the manufacturer's app. HP Smart, Epson Smart Panel, Canon PRINT or Brother iPrint&Scan include a scanning function: you place the document in the printer, press Scan in the app and the file arrives on the phone. It's the best quality. Brother confirms this in its documentation: iPrint&Scan lets you scan and save directly to the phone's album, send it by email or open it in another app, as long as the phone is on the same Wi-Fi network as the machine (Brother, 2024). Epson allows the same with Smart Panel from a smartphone or tablet connected to the same network (Epson, 2024).
  • With the phone's camera. For a quick copy without using the printer: the iPhone's Files app and Google Drive on Android scan with the camera, crop and straighten the document and save it as a PDF. Handy, though at lower quality than a real scanner.

More printing and scanning options from the phone in our guide to how to print from your phone.

Scanning from the phone, in short: the official apps (HP Smart, Epson Smart Panel, Canon PRINT, Brother iPrint&Scan) use the printer's physical scanner and save the file on the phone or send it by email, as long as phone and printer share the Wi-Fi network (Brother, 2024). The phone's camera will do in a pinch, but it doesn't match the scanner's sensor.

How do I scan directly to email, a folder or USB?

Multifunction printers with a screen let you scan without a computer, choosing the destination on the panel itself. It's the most convenient in an office: you put the sheet in, tap the destination and you're done. Watch one detail: scanning to email usually requires the printer to be on the network, not connected by USB.

Destination How it works
Scan to email The printer sends the document as an attachment to the address you specify. Requires setting up the email once in the printer's settings.
Scan to network folder Saves the file in a shared folder on the computer or server. Ideal in offices.
Scan to USB You plug a USB stick into the printer's front port and the document is saved straight onto it. The simplest option, with no setup.

A warning almost nobody reads until they get stuck: on many HP models, scan to email only works with the printer connected to the network; printers plugged in by USB don't support "Scan to email", and you have to set up the email server beforehand in the machine's embedded web server (EWS) (HP Support, 2024). If what you want is the quickest option with no setup, scan to USB.

Scan to USB, no fuss: of the three "no computer" destinations, USB is the only one that doesn't ask for prior setup. You put the stick in the front port, tap "Scan to USB" on the panel and the PDF is saved to the memory. Scan to email, by contrast, requires the printer on the network and the email server configured in the EWS (HP Support, 2024).

How do I scan several pages into a single PDF?

To gather a multi-sheet document into a single file, the trick is to choose PDF format before scanning and, if you don't have a feeder, use the multi-scan option. With an ADF it's automatic; with the glass, you go sheet by sheet and the app combines them at the end. Never use JPG for this: JPG only saves one page.

  • With an automatic feeder (ADF): place all the sheets in the top tray, choose PDF format and the printer combines them by itself.
  • With the glass: in the app or the scanning tool, choose PDF format and the "add page" or "multi-scan" option: you scan sheet by sheet and at the end they're all saved in the same PDF.

PDF is the format designed for documents: it supports multiple pages, keeps the layout and allows searchable text with OCR. JPG (JPEG) is a single-page image format, made for photos; its text isn't selectable or searchable unless you apply OCR separately.

What resolution (DPI) should I use for scanning?

For text you're going to archive or send, 200–300 DPI is enough and produces light files. For a photo or something you're going to enlarge, go up to 600 DPI. It's not a home-made rule: NARA sets 300 DPI as the master resolution for digitising text documents precisely because it's the minimum that guarantees good OCR compatibility (NARA, 1998/current).

Beyond 600 DPI you rarely notice the improvement on text and the file becomes huge. On plain-text documents the difference between 300 and 600 DPI is usually minimal to the eye, but the file size shoots up, so 300 is the sweet spot for most cases.

At Star Toner we scan delivery notes, invoices and documentation for our own batches of compatibles every day before selling them. From what we've seen: for normal paperwork, 300 DPI and PDF resolves 95% of what comes in. We only go up to 600 when there's a tiny signature, a blurred stamp or a code we need to read with a magnifying glass. And yes, a dirty glass shows up on the copy more than people think.

Does scanning use ink or toner?

No. Scanning only switches on the scanner's lamp and optical sensor: it uses no ink, no toner, no paper. The consumable is only spent when you print. That's why digitising is the cheapest way to keep and share a document: zero cost per copy.

That said, printing does use up supplies, and that's where the bill hurts if you always buy originals. When it's time to restock, in the best-selling toner and ink catalogue at Star Toner you'll find certified compatibles with 3 years' legal guarantee.

Tips for a good scan

  • Clean the scanner glass with a soft cloth: dust and fingerprints show up on the copy. If you see repeated streaks or marks, it's almost always a dirty glass (different from streaks when printing, which we cover in my printer prints with streaks).
  • Close the lid properly so the document lies flat and without shadows.
  • Use PDF for documents and JPG for photos.
  • If you need to search or copy the text of the scanned document, enable OCR (text recognition) in the manufacturer's app. PDF is the only one of the two formats that saves that searchable text (CZUR, 2024).

Frequently asked questions

How do I scan a document with the printer?

Place the document face down on the scanner glass. From the computer, use the Windows Scan app or, on Mac, Printers & Scanners → Scanner → Open Scanner. Choose the format (PDF or JPG) and press Scan. You can also scan from the manufacturer's app on your phone or directly from the printer's panel. NARA recommends 300 DPI for text (NARA, current).

How do I scan from my phone?

With the manufacturer's app (HP Smart, Epson Smart Panel, Canon PRINT, Brother iPrint&Scan): you place the document in the printer and press Scan in the app. The phone and the printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network (Brother, 2024). For a quick copy without a printer, the iPhone's Files app and Google Drive on Android scan with the camera and save a PDF.

Can I scan directly to my email?

Yes, if your multifunction has a screen and a "Scan to email" function. You have to set up the email server once in the settings (on HP, via the embedded web server, EWS) and, on many models, the printer must be on the network: those connected by USB don't support scan to email (HP Support, 2024).

What resolution should I use for scanning?

For text documents, 200–300 DPI is enough and produces light files; NARA sets 300 DPI as master for its OCR compatibility (NARA, current). For photos or documents you're going to enlarge, use 600 DPI. Above 600 you barely notice any improvement on text and the file becomes very heavy.

Does scanning use ink or toner?

No. Scanning only uses the scanner's lamp and sensor: it consumes no ink, toner or paper. The consumable is only spent when printing, so digitising has zero cost per copy. When you do need to restock, check it in the Star Toner compatibles catalogue.

My printer won't scan, what should I check?

Check that it's a multifunction printer (not all scan), that the computer or phone are on the same network as the printer, and that the driver or the manufacturer's app are installed. Restart the printer and, if you use a cable, try another USB port. On HP, also enable "Scan to computer" in HP Smart (HP Support, 2024).

Keep reading at Star Toner

Sources

  • NARA — Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Archival Materials (300 DPI for text and OCR) — https://www.archives.gov/files/preservation/technical/guidelines-1998.pdf
  • HP Support — How to scan with an HP printer (scan to computer, panel, PDF/JPG format) — https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_2275901-2074064-16
  • HP Support — Set up Scan to Email (requires network; USB doesn't support scan to email; EWS) — https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_6185297-6063300-16
  • Epson — Starting a Scan from a Smart Device (Epson Smart Panel) — https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd59021/source/scanners/source/scanning_software/tasks/starting_scan_smartpanel.html
  • Brother — Print or scan using Brother iPrint&Scan for mobile devices — https://support.brother.com/g/b/faqend.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=ads2500we_us&faqid=faq00100022_000
  • CZUR TECH — Best File Format for Storing Scanned Documents (PDF vs JPG, OCR, archiving) — https://shop.czur.com/blogs/blog/which-is-the-best-file-format-for-storing-scanned-documents

Last updated: July 2026. Star Toner, Almacén Central, Calle Océano Atlántico 38, 11379 Los Barrios, Cádiz. CHICTRATEC S.L. (NIF B72834534), part of the Grupo Recycop founded in 1998.

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