How to scan a document to email.

Person working in an open office space at a large, shared desk with laptops and monitors getting a signed document ready to scan.

Discover quick and hassle-free ways to scan and email your documents on a Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android device.

If you’ve ever needed to send an important document electronically, you’ve probably wondered how to quickly and efficiently scan a document to email. This guide will walk you through how to scan and email a document, covering multiple methods, devices, and best practices to ensure your scanned document is ready for sending.

Get your documents scan ready.

No matter which device you’ll be using, preparing your document for the best scan result is key. Make sure it’s clean, smudge-free, and properly aligned. If there are any handwritten notes or marks you want to include or exclude, make those edits beforehand. If you need to edit or enhance the document post-scanning, consider using software that can convert scanned documents into editable texts so you can make adjustments before emailing. Ready to get started?

Scan a document to email on Windows.

  1. Place your document face down on the scanner glass.
  2. Open the Windows Scan app. If you don’t have it, you can download it on the Microsoft Store.
  3. Select your scanner and choose Document as the file type.
  4. Click Preview to ensure everything looks correct.
  5. Select Scan to start the process, and then save the scanned document as a PDF to your desired location.

If your document has multiple pages, you may need to scan them individually. In that case, use software that lets you scan multiple pages to PDF if you need all the pages in one file.

How to scan and email a document on a Mac.

You can edit and merge multiple scanned pages using Preview, a built-in tool on Mac.

  1. Open Image Capture from the Applications folder.
  2. Place your document on the scanner glass.
  3. Select your scanner from the list of devices.
  4. Set the Scan Mode to Flatbed and choose the PDF file format.
  5. Click Scan and save your document to the desired folder.

How to scan documents to email on an iPhone.

You can easily scan documents using an iPhone’s built-in Notes app or a free scanner app.

  1. Open the Notes app and tap the Camera icon.
  2. Select Scan Documents and position your document within the viewfinder.
  3. Adjust the corners if needed and tap Keep Scan.
  4. Once scanned, tap Save and export the document as a PDF.

Take a minute to check out this guide if you’d like more details on working with PDFs and scanning documents on an iPhone.

How to scan documents to email on Android devices.

  1. Open the Google Drive app, which has a built-in scanner feature.
  2. Tap the + icon, and then select Scan.
  3. Position your document within the viewfinder and capture it.
  4. Crop, rotate, or adjust the document, and save it as a PDF.

There are also third-party apps you can use for more advanced scanning options.

What if I have a printer/scanner combo?

You can scan directly from the device if you have a printer scanner. Most printers today let you send the document directly to an email address or save it as a PDF to your computer. Place your document on the scanner bed, use the printer’s control panel to select the Scan function, choose Email as the destination, and then follow the prompts to complete the scan.

Once your document is scanned, follow these five steps to attach it to your email:

  1. Open your email app (Gmail, Outlook, etc.).
  2. Click Compose or New Message.
  3. Select the Attach icon.
  4. Locate your scanned PDF and attach it to the email.
  5. Add the recipient’s email address, subject, and message body before clicking Send.

Best practices for emailing scanned documents.

  • Secure and redact sensitive information. If your document contains confidential information, consider protecting it before emailing. Be sure to learn how to encrypt PDF for email or password-protect PDF files to ensure that only authorized recipients can access them. If there’s information you don’t want shared, redact it using a PDF editing tool — the aim is to protect privacy without compromising content.
  • Keep file sizes manageable. Large PDF files can be complex to email. If your file is too large, consider compressing it or using a cloud storage service to share the link.
  • Ensure your document is legible. Review your scanned document to confirm it’s clear and legible. If the scan is blurry or parts are missing, redo the process to avoid confusion or delays.

Whether you’re using a Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, Android device, or a printer, refer to this step-by-step guide to handle any document scanning task with ease.

Take a moment to discover more about how Adobe Acrobat can help you stay on top of all your document needs.

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