NovaScan to PDF
Take photos of a paper document with your camera, trim each one to the page edges, and combine them into a single PDF. Nothing is uploaded — everything happens on your device.
Getting a clean scan
On a phone, "Take a photo" opens your camera directly; on a desktop it opens the regular file picker instead. Add one photo per page, in order — you can reorder or rotate them afterward. Turn on "Crop pages" to trim each photo down to just the document before building the PDF — useful for cutting out the background of a desk or table. This is a manual crop, not automatic edge detection, so it works best when each photo is reasonably straight and well-lit to begin with.
How to use Scan to PDF
- On a phone, tap Take a photo to open the camera. On a computer, choose photos you already have.
- Photograph each page in order, flat on a table in good light.
- Turn on Crop pages and trim each photo to the edges of the paper to cut out the table around it.
- Choose orientation, page size, margin and output (one PDF or a separate PDF per photo), then click Create PDF.
Good to know before you start
- Cropping is manual. There's no automatic edge detection or perspective correction, so shoot from directly above.
- Photos aren't enhanced. Shadows and dim light carry into the PDF, so a bright room makes a big difference.
- Phone photos are large, so a long scan can make a big PDF. Compress PDF can shrink it for email or upload portals.
Scan to PDF: frequently asked questions
Do I need to install an app?
No. It runs in your phone's browser and uses the camera directly. Nothing is installed and your photos aren't uploaded.
How do I get the sharpest scan?
Hold the phone straight above the page, use daylight or a bright lamp, avoid your own shadow, and tap to focus before taking the photo.
Can I add pages I photographed earlier?
Yes. Add photos from your gallery alongside new camera shots and reorder them before creating the PDF.
Can I make the scan searchable?
Yes. Create the PDF here, then run it through OCR PDF to add a searchable text layer.