How to scan documents without a scanner at home

Scanning documents requires a copier or scanner machine. However, what should you do if you find yourself in need of getting some documents scanned, but do not one? Read on to find out how you can scan documents without a scanner at home.

How do people traditionally scan documents?

In the 1990s-2000s, there were devices that were invented solely with the purpose of scanning documents. A flatbed scanner for example, is something that most homes or families in the 1990s-2000s may be very familiar with.

A flatbed scanner is a electronic device that can optically scan any document (or paper) and convert it into a digital image. To perform scanning, lift the cover of the flatbed scanner and place document on a glass window. The scanner will emit a bright light that passes from the top of the document very slowly across to the bottom of document to collect optical information of the paper you are scanning.

If you no longer have such a flatbed a scanner at home, you may be faced with the big question, how can I scan documents without a scanner at home?

3 ways you can scan documents without a scanner at home

To get your documents scanned without having a scanner seems to be an impossible task. For most people faced with this unsettling position, here are 3 great options you can use to scan documents without a scanner at home.

Method 1: Find a friend with a scanner or copier

The first instinct for many of us is to think of all the people that might possibly have a scanner at home. With one or two people in mind, the next step is to reach out to them with a message of urgency and desperation, while retaining a small dash of hope in you that that they would say yes and be kind enough to help you out, with getting your document scanned.

However, the likely outcome of any attempt at finding that someone who still has a working flatbed scanner at home today would usually be futile- with chances as low as zero or none. For most households, flatbed scanners are now considered ancient, space-wasting devices that are so rarely used it is no longer considered to have any part in the home, and possibly has already been thrown out in the early 2010s. There goes your luck to scan documents without a scanner at home.

Even though a variety of second generation, modern flatbed scanners were made available to consumers, they were often the form of an integrated 3-in-1 device (scanner printer and fax) that are often used in offices and workplaces instead of the home. So again, no luck to scan documents without a scanner at home.

Method 2. Get out of the house to a photo or print shop

Getting out of the house to head for a photo or print shop might seen as the best choice. After all, staying at home would not help to scan documents without a scanner at home. However, what people do not realize is that the cost of getting something scanned at photo or print shops can get pretty expensive, if you are planning to scan a document of just 1 or 2 pages alone, which is the case for most people who want to scan documents on a urgent adhoc basis, without a scanner at home.

Here is why going to a print or photo shop is expensive. First, theres the cost of transportation of getting to the print shop. Print shops are usually little and far away and hard to locate. Next, photo or print shops charge anywhere from $2-$3 per scan per page. You might even need to pay more to receive the document converted into a PDF file and sent to your email address. Lastly, there is that two-three hours of your time wasted that you can never get back.

Say you missed out a page and have to go back and rescan. Sounds scary? This is why we need a way to scan documents without a scanner at home.

Method 3. Take a picture with your camera and convert into PDF

What do you do to scan documents without a scanner at home- You take a picture of it. Digital cameras can be used for the same purposes as flatbed scanners or integrated scanners. Sounds good? This may be the best way to scan documents without a scanner at home.

However, when compared directly to a real scanner, using a camera is subject factors like shadows, distortion, reflections, insufficient light and blur due to unstable hands and shaking the camera. However, it does offer the ultimate advantages of speed and portability and most importantly, this can be done right from your home.

Scanner apps - a much better way to scan

A much better way to scan documents without a scanner at home, is to use an app like PDF Scanner Pro by Appsverse. PDF Scanner Pro lets you scan any document like receipts, letters, bills, and contracts right from your smartphone camera and scanned documents will be digitally created with results exactly the same as a flatbed or dedicated scanner.

Here are some of the features of PDF Scanner Pro

Transform smartphone into scanner- Scan documents and receipts or any paper using your phone, Scan documents without a scanner at home
High quality scanning- Create crystal clear, high quality scans suitable for the most demanding business requirements.
Generate PDF - Generate PDF files from your scans. Turn receipts, documents, and any piece of paper into PDF documents
Share via email - Sharing a scan via email is easy. Simply tap on 'Email Scan' to send it to someone or yourself via email.
Convert to text with OCR - Use advanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature to instantly convert your images into text.

Thats more features than you initially imagined to scan documents without a scanner at home, with PDF Scanner Pro.

Transform your smartphone into a document scanner at home

Scanning with PDF Scanner Pro is easy. Just hover your camera over the document you want to scan and PDF Scanner Pro will automatically detect the image and create a digital clone or copy of it in the app. Email the PDF file to yourself or anyone who require it from you.

PDF Scanner Pro is the top rated scanner app on the iOS App Store, with over 1 Million+ Downloads, 4.5 Stars and 1,200++ Ratings on the iOS App Store as of October 2018.

If you are still wondering how to scan documents without a scanner at home, you check out PDF Scanner Pro by Appsverse.