Scanning documents has many benefits to aid businesses and assist with effective organisation. From converting paper items into digital formats to file management, scanning items help to streamline processes and keep a valuable electronic paper trail of important documents.
Scanning documents has many benefits to aid businesses and assist with effective organisation.
From converting paper items into digital formats to file management, scanning items help to streamline processes and keep a valuable electronic paper trail of important documents.
Knowing how to scan a document on a printer is a useful process to know, to help ensure you reap all of the many benefits that scanning can deliver within a company or household.
To help, we’ve put together some useful tips and good-to-know advice to demonstrate how to scan using a printer and a step-by-step guide of how you can achieve this.
Uses of document scanning
Document scanning is particularly useful to facilitate the smooth-running of businesses; among its uses are:
- Improved organisation
- Safeguarding documents through electronic filing
- Translating paper files into backed up, digital formats
- Reducing paper storage within organisations
- Saving time by referencing and accessing electronic files on internal systems
- Sophisticated printers with integrated scanners offer an ideal solution for quick and convenient document scanning. Depending on the manufacturer and model you choose, many printers are available with print, scan, copy and fax built in.
How to scan a document on a printer
If you are keen to learn how to scan a document on a printer, we’ve compiled a useful step-by-step guide with the Canon all-in-one printers in mind.
The below steps will help get you familiar with the process of scanning a document on a printer and includes relevant steps for scanning using either Widows or Mac.
Canon
Preparing to scan
- Check your Canon printer scans – all-in-one models will be able to scan, but it is useful to check your Canon printer manual first to check it can scan.
- Connect your printer to your computer – connect your printer using the USB cable it is supplied with. Many Canon printers with scanning function can be connected wirelessly using a touch-screen panel on the printer.
- Turn the printer on and open the scanner – lift the scanner lid, load the document you wish to scan into the tray if your printer has an all-in-one paper feeder.
- Insert the document – place the document face-down in the scanner and use the arrow marking on the glass to help align your document in the correct place.
Scanning: Windows
- Click on the ‘start’ logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
- Search for the Windows Fax and Scan App by typing ‘windows fax and scan’ into the start search bar.
- Click on the New Scan option which will open a new window – this can be found in the upper-left side of the Fax and Scan window.
- Check scanner details - your scanner should read ‘Canon’ as well as the model number of your printer. If the scanner details need changing, click ‘change’ to amend these details.
- Select document type - this can be achieved by clicking on ‘profile’ and selecting from the drop-down box.
- Select document colour - you can do this by selecting the ‘colour format’ drop-down option and choosing between Colour or Black and White.
- Select file type - you can do this by selecting the ‘File Type’ drop-down option and selecting from the available options, such as JPG or PDF.
- Modify other options – depending on your scanner and your preferences, you may be able to modify other elements before previewing your document.
- Preview – ensure you take an advanced look at your document by clicking preview at the bottom of the window. If any adjustments or re-alignments need making, you can do this and click the preview button again to see the results.
- Click scan – finally, click scan and locate the scanned file at a later date by following: Start > File Explorer > Click the Documents folder > Double-click on the Scanned Documents folder.
Scanning: Mac
- Click on the Apple logo to open the main menu.
- Select System Preferences located at the top of the drop-down menu.
- Click on Printers and Scanners which can be found on the right and side of the System Preferences window.
- Select your Canon printer – you can do this by clicking on the ‘Canon’ option in the upper-left side of the window.
- Click on the Scan tab – this is located at the top of the window.
- Click on Open Scanner
- Select Show Details – this can be found on the lower right-hand side of the window.
- Select file type - you can do this by selecting the ‘File Type’ drop-down option and selecting from the available options, such as JPG or PDF.
- Select document colour – click on the ‘kind’ drop-down box and select between Colour or Black and White
- Select storage location - click on the ‘Save To’ drop-down box and select which folder you would like your scanned item to be saved.
- Amend the page – if you would like to amend the page or make any changes, click on “Orientation” and “Resolution” options to do this.
- Click scan – finally, click scan on the bottom-right corner of the window. This will commence the scan of your document.
- Locate the document – once the scan is complete, you will have the option to find your scanned document in your selected save location.
Find out more today
Whether you belong to a small business or larger organisation and are looking to invest in a new printer or large format scanner, please get in touch today, we’re always on-hand and happy to help.
