Buzz
This article guides you through the process of converting paper documents into PDF files and saving them on your Windows or Mac computer. If your documents are already scanned as images, you can use a free online conversion tool to transform these images into PDF files.
Steps
On Windows
Connect the scanner to your computer. Depending on the type of scanner you are using, you can do this via a USB cable or through a wireless network connection if your scanner supports this feature.
- Each scanner model is different, so refer to the user manual for instructions on connecting the scanner to your computer.
Place the document into the scanner. This is the document you wish to convert into a PDF file.
Type fax and scan into the Start menu. This action will search for the Fax and Scan program on your computer.
Click on Fax and Scan. This is the printer icon located at the top of the Start window. Clicking this icon will open the Fax and Scan program on your computer.
Click on New Scan. This button is located at the top-left corner of the Fax and Scan window. A new window will appear on your screen.
Ensure your scanner is selected. If there are multiple scanners on the network, check the "Scanner" section at the top of the window to confirm the displayed scanner is the one you want to use.
- If the selected scanner is not the one you intend to use, click Change... and choose the appropriate scanner.
Select the document type. Click on the "Profile" dropdown menu, then choose one of the following options:
- Photo
- Documents
Choose the scanner type. Click on the "Source" dropdown menu and select one of the following:
- Feeder - Use this option when your document is fed into the scanner via a paper tray. This is ideal for scanning multiple pages into a single PDF file.
- Flatbed - This option is for scanners that require lifting the lid to place the document.
Click on Scan at the bottom of the window. This will scan the document onto your computer.
- You can also adjust color settings here before clicking Scan.
Click on File. Once the scanning process is complete, click this tab in the top-left corner of the window. A menu will appear.
Click on Print… in the displayed menu.
Click on the "Printer" dropdown menu. You will find this option in the top-left corner of the Print window.
Select Microsoft Print to PDF from the Printer menu.
- If this option is not visible, use the default settings to scan the document as an image file on your computer, then convert the image to PDF.
Click on Print at the bottom-right corner of the window.
Choose a save location. Click on a folder listed on the left side of the window.
Name the PDF file. Enter the desired name in the field next to the "File name" label.
Click on Save at the bottom of the window. This will save the scanned data as a PDF in the selected folder.
On Mac
Connect the scanner to your computer. Depending on the scanner model, you can do this using a USB cable or via a wireless Wi-Fi connection if the scanner supports it.
- Each scanner model is different, so refer to the user manual for instructions on connecting the scanner to your computer.
Place the document into the scanner. This is the document you want to convert into a PDF.
Click on Go. You will find this option in the menu bar at the top-left corner of your Mac screen.
- If Go is not visible, click on the Mac desktop or open a new Finder window.
Click on Applications near the bottom of the Go menu. This will open the Applications folder on your Mac.
Double-click on Image Capture with the camera icon. The Image Capture window will appear on your screen.
- You may need to scroll down to find Image Capture.
Select your scanner. Click on the name of your scanner in the top-left corner of the window.
Choose the scanner type. Click on the dropdown menu next to "Scan Mode" and select one of the following options:
- Feeder - Use this option when your document is fed into the scanner via a paper tray. This is ideal for scanning multiple pages into a single PDF file.
- Flatbed - This option is for scanners that require lifting the lid to place the document.
Select a save location. Click on the "Scan To" dropdown menu, then choose a folder (such as Desktop) where you want to save the PDF file.
Click on the Format dropdown menu in the middle-right section of the page.
Select PDF. This option is located in the Format menu. Selecting this will ensure your document is scanned as a PDF.
- If this option is unavailable, you can use the default settings to scan the document as an image file and then convert the image to PDF.
Click on Scan at the bottom-right corner of the window. This will scan your document and save it as a PDF in the selected folder.
Convert Scanned Images into PDF Files
Open the PNG to PDF conversion page. Visit http://png2pdf.com/ using your computer's web browser. If you cannot directly scan your document into a PDF, this site allows you to convert scanned images (such as PNG) into PDF files.
- If you have scanned your document as a JPG file, visit http://jpg2pdf.com/ instead.
Click on UPLOAD FILES in the center of the page. This will open the File Explorer (on Windows) or Finder (on Mac) window.
Select the scanned image. Navigate to the folder where your scanned image is saved and click on the image to select it.
Click on Open at the bottom-right corner of the window. This will upload the image to the PNG (or JPG) to PDF conversion page.
Wait for your image to be converted into a PDF file. This process typically takes just a few seconds.
Click on DOWNLOAD. This button is located below the converted file displayed in the center of the window. Clicking it will download the PDF file to your computer.
Tips
- Users of Windows 7 and older operating systems cannot directly scan documents into PDF files. In such cases, the best option is to use the default scan settings and convert the scanned images into PDF files.
Warnings
- Fax and Scan (on Windows) and Image Capture (on Mac) are both free to use on their respective operating systems. However, if you wish to use Adobe Acrobat or similar software, you will need to pay for a subscription or membership to access the PDF scanning functionality.
