Scan to PDF

Scan documents with your smartphone and send them straight to your browser.

Use cameraScan a QR code, then photograph pages on your phone

PDF organization tools

What does Scan to PDF do?

Scan to PDF places JPG, JPEG, PNG or device camera images onto PDF pages, one image per page. On a computer, Use camera shows a QR code so a phone can photograph pages and send them here. You can also capture with the rear camera on this device, reorder images, set resolution, and choose color, grayscale or black-and-white. Source image appearance and chosen image order are kept. Camera metadata and editable or searchable text are not added. Use OCR afterward if you need to search the scan.

How to use Scan to PDF

  1. 1
    Add photos or capture pages

    Choose JPG or PNG files. On a computer, Use camera shows a QR code; scan it with your phone, photograph each page, and the images appear in this window. On a phone, the same control uses the rear camera when the browser grants permission. Arrange the image order before you convert.

  2. 2
    Set scan options

    Pick resolution and color, grayscale or black-and-white. These settings affect file size and how the page looks, not OCR accuracy by themselves.

  3. 3
    Build the PDF locally

    Each image is placed on its own page. The output is an image-based PDF. No editable or searchable text layer is created here.

  4. 4
    OCR if you need searchable text

    Download the scan, then open OCR PDF if names and body text must be searchable. Review camera pages for blur before you rely on them.

Supported files and limits

  • Output format: PDF
  • Input: JPG, JPEG, PNG, device camera image
  • Output options: camera capture; image order; resolution; color, grayscale or black-and-white
  • browser camera permission is required for capture; use OCR afterward to add searchable text
  • Files stay on this device and are removed when you close the page.

Browser camera permission is required for capture. The tool does not add editable or searchable text; use OCR afterward. Camera metadata is not preserved as document text.

What the output keeps

  • source image appearance
  • chosen image order

Source image appearance and the chosen image order are retained, one image per page.

What may change or be lost

  • camera metadata
  • editable or searchable text

Camera metadata is not kept as PDF metadata you can search. Editable or searchable text is not created from the photograph.

When not to use this tool

Do not use Scan to PDF as a substitute for OCR, as a way to import a finished multi-page PDF, or as a document editor. JPG to PDF is closer if you only need photos with page margin controls and no camera workflow.

If processing fails

If the QR code does not connect, keep this window open, try the same Wi-Fi, or upload saved JPG/PNG files. If the camera does not start, grant permission. Unsupported file types are rejected. Very large, high-resolution bursts can exhaust memory — lower resolution or add fewer pages.

Privacy boundary

Photos travel from the phone browser to this computer for the active task. A short pairing signal is used so the two browsers can find each other. Photo bytes are not uploaded to a PDF Smart Kit application server. Closing the page clears the captured pages from memory.

Testing evidence

Last tested: · Test browser: Desktop Chrome via Playwright Chromium · Product version: 1.0.0

Sample: Single JPEG photograph used as a scan image · 1 pages

What was checked

  • The download is a valid PDF.
  • One source image produces one page.
  • The camera capture control is present for devices that support it.
  • On a desktop viewport, Use camera opens a QR-code pairing dialog.

Known failures and limits

  • The page is an image; it has no editable or searchable text until OCR PDF is used.
  • Camera capture requires browser permission and is not available in every environment.
  • Phone pairing needs the computer window to stay open; the same Wi-Fi is the most reliable path.

How PDF Smart Kit tests tools

Frequently asked questions

Published by: Windx LtdLast reviewed: