🧾 5 free document scanning apps

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1. Adobe Scan

With Adobe Scan, you can easily scan documents, both automatically and manually. Adobe searches for a document through your smartphone camera. Does Adobe Scan find a document? Then the scanning is performed automatically. If the camera doesn't find the document, use the button at the bottom of the screen to scan it manually. You have the option to save the document in PDF or JPEG format. When you save a document as a PDF, the text in the file is automatically recognized (OCR). This is useful if you also have Acrobat on your smartphone, because you can then edit or sign the document directly.

Every scan you make is automatically saved to Adobe Document Cloud. This way you can access the scans from any smartphone, tablet or computer. Automatic upload of scans to the cloud cannot be disabled. If you perform multiple scans, you can adjust the order of the scans next. You also have the option to crop, rotate, resize, and change the color of the images.

To use Adobe Scan, you must first create an account. You can register via Google, Facebook, or Apple.

📱 Download for Android
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2. Genius scan

Place a document in front of your smartphone camera and Genius Scan instantly recognizes the edges of the document. The app crops the scan and corrects the perspective as well. This means that it doesn't matter whether you hold the camera perfectly straight or not. The scanned document is saved as a PDF file. Genius Scan automatically adds contrast, making scanning easier to read.

The application has various editing functions such as crop, rotate, and adjust brightness. Just as with Adobe Scan, it is possible to scan multiple pages in a row in just seconds. You can adjust the order of scans afterwards. Genius Scan has a tagging system that allows you to group similar documents, such as receipts or invoices, in the app. The free version of the app has no text recognition capability and no automatic sync with the cloud. Do you want to use these functions? Then you can upgrade to the paid version.

You can use Genius Scan directly without an account.

📱 Download for Android
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3. Microsoft Office Lens

Do you regularly work with Microsoft Office? Then Microsoft Office Lens comes in handy. The application integrates with other Office products. Once you've scanned, you can instantly save it as a PDF, Word, or PowerPoint file in OneNote or OneDrive. Microsoft Office Lens is easy to use: you can scan using a circular button at the bottom of the screen. Microsoft Office Lens automatically recognizes documents and frames them. The application has different modes. You can choose from scanning a document, whiteboard, business card, or photo. You can also import photos that are already on your smartphone via the Gallery.

The app has a good text recognition feature. This enables recognition of text in scanned documents and the possibility of text searching. Do you scan a business card? Microsoft Office Lens then recognizes the contact information and exports it to OneNote. When scanned in whiteboard mode, the app can convert them into PowerPoint slides. Microsoft Office Lens does not provide options to categorize or group scans in the application.

You can use Microsoft Office Lens without an account.

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4. Google Drive

Most people know Google Drive as Google's cloud storage. It is not known that the Google Drive app also has a scanning function. You can scan a document via the Google Drive app by tapping the plus button at the bottom right and then clicking Scan. The plus button at the bottom left provides the option to add multiple pages to the same document. Once you've scanned the correct page(s), give the document a title and it will automatically be saved to Google Drive as a PDF. This way you instantly have a backup in the cloud.

A disadvantage of the Google Drive scanner is that the scanned document is not always automatically cropped correctly, so you have to do it yourself. In addition, the quality of scans is lower than the above-mentioned scanner apps.

If you have Google Drive, you don't need to download a separate app or create an account to scan documents.

📱 Download for Android
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5. Cam Scanner

CamScanner is a convenient scanner app if you scan documents occasionally. The app has limited options for free users. The app is specifically targeted at business users. For example, there is an option to invite colleagues to view and comment on scans. For advanced features, like more cloud storage (10GB instead of 200MB) and unlimited conversion of images to searchable text, you need a subscription.

The app has a clear home screen with a circular button in the bottom center for scanning. You can save the scan as PDF or JPEG. After that, it is possible to enhance the scans using filters or adjusting brightness and contrast. PDF and JPEG scans have a watermark on the document in the free version.

You can use CamScanner's basic features without an account.

📱 Download for Android
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