3 Ways to Create a PDF File from Scanned Documents

This article is for anyone who needs to learn how to scan paper documents and save them in PDF format on a Windows or Mac computer. If you already have the scanned image, you can convert it to the right format with a free internet tool.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: On Windows

Step 1. Connect the scanner to the computer

Depending on the equipment, you can do this with a USB cable or even connect everything wirelessly.

Every scanner is different. Consult the user manual for how to connect the machine to the computer

Step 2. Place the document on the scanner

Get the document you want to transform into PDF.

Step 3. Open Start

Click on the Windows icon, which is in the lower left corner of the screen.

Step 4. Enter fax and scanner in Start

This search will open the "Windows Fax and Scanner" program.

Step 5. Click Windows Fax and Scan

The icon is represented by a printer, is in Start and takes you to the program.

Step 6. Click New Scan

The button is on the upper left side of Windows Fax and Scan and opens a new window.

Step 7. Make sure you have selected the right scanner

If there is more than one scanner on the network, check the "Scanner" section at the top of the window to see if you are in the right option.

If the selected scanner is not the one you want to use, click "Change…" and change the option

Step 8. Select the document type

Click on the "Profile" drop-down field and one of the following options:

• Photograph.
• Documents.

Step 9. Select the scanner type

Click on the "Source" drop-down field and one of the following options:

• Feeder: Select this option if documents are in the scanner tray. It is useful for anyone who needs to scan multiple papers and turn them into a single PDF.
• Table: Select this option if your scanner has a lid.

Step 10. Click Scan

The option is at the bottom of the screen and starts scanning the document.

• You can also change color options before clicking Scanning.

Step 11. Click File

Once the document has been scanned, click on this tab, which is in the upper left corner of the window and leads to a drop-down menu.

Step 12. Click Print…

The option is in the middle of the dropdown menu.

Step 13. Click on the "Printer" drop-down field

It is on the upper left side of the print window.

Step 14. Click Microsoft Print to PDF

The option is in the dropdown menu Printer.

If you don't see the option, use the program's default settings to scan the image and save it to your computer; then convert it to PDF

Step 15. Click Print

The option is on the lower right side of the window.

Step 16. Select the folder in which to save the file

Click on a folder on the left side of the window.

Step 17. Enter the name of the PDF

Use the field next to the title "File name".

Step 18. Click Save

The option sits at the bottom of the screen and saves the scanned file in PDF format.

Method 2 of 3: On Mac

Step 1. Connect the scanner to the computer

Depending on the equipment, you can do this with a USB cable or even connect everything wirelessly.

Every scanner is different. Consult the user manual for how to connect the machine to the computer

Step 2. Place the document on the scanner

Get the document you want to transform into PDF.

Step 3. Click Go

The option sits among a set of buttons in the upper-left corner of your Mac screen.

If you can't find the button, go to your Mac desktop or open a new Finder window

Step 4. Click Applications

The option is at the end of the dropdown menu. Go and opens the Mac application menu.

Step 5. Double-click Image Capture

The button is represented by a camera.

You may have to scroll down the page to find the option

Step 6. Select the scanner

Click on the name of the equipment in the upper left side of the window.

Step 7. Select the scanner type

Click the drop-down menu next to "Scan Mode" and then one of the items below:

• Feeder: Select this option if documents are in the scanner tray. It is useful for anyone who needs to scan multiple papers and turn them into a single PDF.
• Table: Select this option if your scanner has a lid.

Step 8. Select the destination folder

Click on the "Scan In" drop-down field and choose a folder (such as Workspace) to save the PDF.

Step 9. Click on the Format drop-down field

It is in the middle of the right side of the page.

Step 10. Click PDF

The option is in the dropdown menu Format. Choose the right item for scanning.

If you don't see the option, use the program's default settings to scan the image and save it to your computer; then convert it to PDF

Step 11. Click Scan

The option is in the lower right corner of the screen and starts scanning the file. It is then saved as a PDF.

Method 3 of 3: Converting a Scanned Image File to PDF

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

Type http://png2pdf.com/ into your internet browser. If you were unable to scan a document in PDF format, you can use the website to perform the process.

If you were able to scan the document in-j.webp" />

Step 2. Click UPLOAD FILES

The option is in the middle of the page and opens the File Explorer (on Windows) or Finder (on Mac).

Step 3. Select the scanned file

Go to the folder where you saved the file and click on it.

Step 4. Click Open

The option is in the lower right corner of the screen and takes the image to the-p.webp" />

Step 5. Wait while the image is converted to PDF

The process is quick and only takes a few seconds.

Step 6. Click DOWNLOAD

The option is under the converted file, in the middle of the window, and downloads the file.

Tips

Windows 7 or earlier users may not be able to scan files directly to PDF. If that's your case, the best option is to use the normal settings and convert the scanned image to PDF

Notices