Scanner. Types and device. Operation and application. How to choose. How to scan a document onto a computer: step-by-step training What you can do using a scanner

17.01.2024

The need to get a digital copy of your photos or text can arise at any time, so it will be useful to know how to scan documents from a printer to a computer. It is worth understanding that an MFP is meant - a multifunctional device that has a built-in scanner, copier and printer. Currently, there are many manufacturers of office equipment for home and office on the market, for example, HP, Epson, Canon, Brother, Kyocera, etc.

How to scan texts from a printer to a computer

There are two main options for scanning a document to your computer - as an image or as text. By default, the scanner works like this: it creates a photo; if you put a sheet of text in the copier, then it is impossible to edit it in the future. For such a function to appear, you need to use a recognizer (special software) that will turn the picture into an editable format.

How to scan a document using the Scanner Wizard

Once you have connected the universal printer to your computer, installed the drivers, and carried out the initial setup for scanning, you can use the built-in functionality of Windows. The “Scanner Wizard” is suitable for this; the execution algorithm is as follows:

Turn on the scanner, lift the lid. Check that the glass is clean; if there is dust, wipe the surface.
Place the text or photo with the surface you want to scan facing down on the glass.
Close the lid.
Go to “Control Panel”, click on “Hardware and Sound”.
Find the “Devices and Printers” item and go to it.
Right-click on the icon with your MFP, select “Start scanning”.
Set the scan options you want and click Preview.
A window will appear with a picture of what your scanned text will look like, if it turns out to be too dim, or vice versa, you can change the settings and click “Preview” again. If you are satisfied with everything, click “Scan”.
Save the result on your computer or send the file for printing.

Scan documents to your computer using special software

Along with any MFP there should be a disk with drivers and native software for this particular device. As a rule, the use of such programs provides an opportunity to achieve the most effective interaction with the device and obtain the best quality. For example, how to make a scan on a canon printer using this software:

After installing the device and software, open the list of programs.
Find the application for your printer model and launch it.
Click "Scan".
The program will prompt you to select the type, format, color or black and white scan and resolution. If you set all the parameters correctly, the result will be better.
Using Explorer, specify the path to save the final file. Give the document a name right away to make it easier to find later. If desired, the storage location can be removable media.
Preview the document to correct any shortcomings or immediately click the “Scan” button. Next, the MFP will recognize the data, after which you need to click “Save”.

How to scan personal documents with a printer

Official documents must be of high quality so that all elements are clearly visible and readable. This applies to important information: birth certificates, passports, IDs and similar documentation. Most often, ABBY FineReader is used for these purposes, but any other software with similar functionality may be suitable. Instructions on how to scan a document to a computer from a printer using a passport as an example:

Be sure to remove the cover, it will interfere during the procedure.
In the settings, set the following parameters: “grayscale”, resolution – 300 dpi (or dpi).
Unfold the passport on the first page and place it facing the glass. It is better to place it closer to the edge, leaving a small gap.
Close the lid of the device tightly; for more detailed copying, you can press it a little with your hand.
Click “Preview” and make sure that the color and detail of the letters are correct.
At the bottom, click “Scan” and wait until the device finishes recognizing the file. After that, check the picture and click “Save”.
Using a frame, select the area with the image (the passport itself); the empty fields should be outside it.
To store official data, you should select tif or bmp format.

How to scan photos to a printer

Nowadays, more often than not, people print digital photos from a computer, but sometimes a situation arises when they need to be scanned. It is important to configure the MFP correctly to ensure high-quality images. The procedure for scanning a document to a computer from a printer is as follows:

Connect the MFP to your computer and turn it on. To digitize photographs, you need to check that they are free of stains, lint and other dirt.
The photo must be placed face down on the scanner glass.
It is better to scan a photo using. This option will provide the opportunity to make adjustments during preview.
In the application, specify the scanning type (black and white, color) and set the format to “Photo”.
Set the resolution to the maximum value. This way you can scan the photo in better quality.
If you want to copy the file well, then you should not make changes to the settings during the process or lift the lid.
After the procedure, save the file in any location convenient for you on your computer.
Use a graphic editor to adjust the image. It will give you more options than a scanner program.

Before performing scanning operations, you must correctly connect the device to the computer and configure the system for operation. First, connect the device to an electrical outlet, and then insert the included USB cable into the scanner and the corresponding port on the computer case. Install the disk with drivers, which was included in the package upon purchase, into the CD drive of your computer. Turn on the scanner using the corresponding button on the body. As soon as the device is identified in the system, you will see a corresponding message. Wait for a message indicating successful driver installation to appear and restart your computer to start working with the hardware.

If you cannot install the driver, contact the technical support service of the device manufacturer, the telephone number of which can be found on the official website.

If you do not have a driver disk, you can go to the official website of your device manufacturer and download the required version of the software from the Help and Support or Downloads section. Run the downloaded file and install the driver. Then restart your computer to complete the procedure. Now you can start using the scanner installed on the system.

Scanning

You should start using the equipment by launching the scanning program, which should have been installed along with the driver. A shortcut to the application should appear on your desktop. If the scanning utility has not been installed, reinsert the disc into the computer drive and install the programs that appear in the autorun menu. The required application can also be downloaded from the official website of the device manufacturer.

If you are not satisfied with the scan result, try placing the scanned document in the device better. After this, run the program again.

Place the document for which you want to create an electronic copy into the scanner with the side you want to save facing down. Make sure the document is positioned correctly to get the best possible result. Close the scanner lid, and in the scanning software window, click “Scan” to begin the process of checking and saving the photo. After the operation is completed, you will be asked to view the result. If you are satisfied with the quality of the picture, you can begin working on saving a copy of another document. After scanning is completed, close the program and turn off the scanner using the button on the body.

Nowadays, a scanner often becomes part of the standard equipment for any computer, both at home and in the office, but not all users still know how to get the most out of this device.

A scanner is a device that allows you to copy documents, photographs and images of all kinds into digital format, so that you can then use them without any problems on your computer.

The process of document scanning, also called sampling (analog-to-digital conversion), works on the same principle as scanning paper images (visual information) and converting them into JPEG, PNG, etc. formats. In the future, the resulting digital data can be easily modified using any image editing program, etc.

At the moment, the most popular scanners on the market are Flatbed format scanners or otherwise. The principle of their operation is quite simple: you need to place a sheet in a flatbed scanner, cover it with a lid and scan the entire sheet.

In accordance with the brand and model of the scanner, all scanning actions can be controlled both using buttons located on the body of the device itself, and using special icons directly in the software supplied with the scanner (in scanners controlled by software).

In the second case, to work with the scanner software we will need to find, as a rule, three standard control icons “Start”, “Scan” or “Acquire” (“Start”, “Scan” or “Receive”). These commands will typically be located in the main program, or can be accessed through the program's File menu, then Receive or Scan. This is a kind of standard used by all manufacturers of such devices.

Before scanning starts, a so-called preview window will appear on the screen, which can be used to adjust the scanned image, crop unnecessary parts of it, select the image format and resolution.

What resolution can I use to scan different types of documents?

The graphic resolution of an image is measured in DPI (dots per inch), the scanning input resolution (density of information) that the scanning machine can input per inch.

The optimal resolution for the most accurate and professional-looking work is 300 dpi or 600 dpi, but in most standard applications this number is excessive due to the large size of the resulting image. Normal resolution for working with typical office documents is between 150 - 200 dpi, while 100 DPI is enough for an image intended for display on a monitor.

In addition, when deciding to digitize a document, many users do not always know what type of scanning they should use. To clarify this issue, you can give the following tips:

24-bit color depth, referred to as “million colors”: This scanning mode should be used in case of processing photographs, graphics or any other type of image in which we would like to preserve the color scheme.

Shades of Gray: This mode can be used when scanning a black and white image, such as newspaper photos, or old photographs, or when scanning an image that does not need to retain color, but will result in a much brighter image. "light" in size.

Line Art and/or Halftone: This mode is extremely useful when you want to digitize text or an image printed in black and without any halftone. In this case, the most suitable DPI value for scanning is 300 dpi.

Many of you, more often or less often, are faced with the need to transfer information (text, graphics, photographs) from paper to a computer. The main assistant in solving this issue is a scanner. This can be either a stand-alone device or an MFP with scanning capabilities.

Preparing to scan from your printer to your computer

In order to begin the scanning process itself, you must have a computer and a scanner (or an MFP with the latter function) at your disposal.

Turn on the computer and printer.
Connect the MFP (or scanner) to a power source and to your computer.
Place the document, book, photograph or other paper medium from which information should be read with its front side on the scanner glass.

This completes the preparatory stage.

How to scan an image from a printer to a computer

Paint program

The presence of this graphic editor will help you carry out the procedure for transferring data to your computer easily and quickly.

Launch the Paint program. To do this, click on its shortcut (icon) on the desktop or go to “Start” - “All Programs” - “Accessories” - “Paint”.
In the upper left corner of the program that opens, go to the “File” menu or click on the white rectangle with a drop-down list (in the same corner).
In the list provided, select “Get image” – “From a scanner or camera” (or “From a scanner or camera”). If this menu item is not active, it means the scanner is not ready for operation (check the connection of the device to the power source and the computer).
A window appears on the screen in which you select the required device - your printer, the type of image to be scanned (color or black and white).
Afterwards, press the “Scan” button.
Ready. Here is a scanned image that you can edit if desired.
To save the picture, go to the “File” menu and select “Save As,” indicating the path in the directory where the resulting file will be stored. The most common saving formats are .JPEG and .png.

Using a scanning app

Install the necessary drivers for your printer on your computer. To do this, you can use the disk that came with the device, or download them from the Internet.
Go to “Start” – “Devices and Printers” (or “Start” – “Control Panel” – “Devices and Printers”).
Right-click on your printer icon and select “Start Scan” from the drop-down list.
A window opens in which you set scanning parameters: the type of source document, color or black and white image will be received, the resolution of the finished image, in what format the file will be saved.
Click the “Scan” button.
As a result, a scanned image will appear on the screen, to which you assign a name and indicate the path to place it on your computer.

Image resolution when scanning from printer to computer

Resolution is one of the important parameters of the final image. It is he who determines the detail (clarity) of the picture. For text documents, you should not set excessively high values - this is not necessary, and more time will be spent on the scanning process. And remember that you can reduce the resolution of the resulting image (in a graphics editor), but you cannot increase it; you will need to rescan the document.

Now almost every computer owner has a home scanner. Moreover, most often it is purchased as an accessory to the printer. Unfortunately, with each subsequent update of the line of printing devices, it becomes clear that manufacturers are gradually abandoning the production of highly specialized solutions, preferring to them combines that combine a printer with a scanner. Although the average computer owner rarely needs a scanner, the functions of a copier (copier) sometimes come in very handy.

You can read about using the combo solution for replicating copies in the instructions. We will focus on a more complex option - how to use a scanner (independent) in the Windows operating system environment. All modern models use the USB interface to communicate with a computer, so first we connect the device wire to the corresponding free port of the computer. Varieties with a CIS matrix use USB current (500 mA) to power all internal circuits. But CCD scanners (with a backlight) require an additional power supply. Having turned on all the necessary wires, press the power supply button on the scanner (in CIS it is enough to connect the USB interfaces). The hardware component is ready. But this is not yet a complete answer to the question “how to use the scanner,” since further installation of programs is required.

The scanner should come with a disk with a driver and bonus applications. A driver is a control program that provides instructions to the operating system on how to interact with a connected device. It is recommended to immediately go to the scanner manufacturer's website and download the latest driver version for the model you are using. If the hardware has been detected and the driver has been installed, then there should be no problems with how to use the scanner. The exception is models that are too old, no longer supported by the manufacturer and incompatible with new operating systems. Let us dwell on this point in more detail, since the number of owners of outdated models is in the hundreds of thousands. How to use the scanner? There is a solution, and three of them!

The first is to install an old operating system that is still supported by the driver. For obvious reasons, it is unlikely that anyone will be delighted with the return from Seven to Win XP or even Win 9x.

The second method allows you to leave the modern system, but at the same time use the scanner. We are talking about using a special emulator that creates the most famous ones are VMware Workstation, Virtual PC and Virtual Box. We downloaded, installed, installed the old operating system in a virtual environment and used the scanner.

And finally, the most convenient solution (if it works) is to use the VueScan program. This application is designed specifically for scanners and, most importantly, can work without drivers installed on the device. However, not all devices can run VueScan, so you need to try.

The scanner must be configured before. The number of available items depends on the driver and the program used (Twain shell, Adobe Fine Reader, etc.). Usually it is enough to understand the resolution (dpi) and scanning quality (color, black and white).

Sometimes it is necessary to “share” the scanner over the network. This is only possible if the device is fully supported by the operating system. You can use third-party programs - BlindScanner, RemoteScan and the like. They all work on the same principle: the server part of the program is installed on the computer with the scanner, and the client part is installed on others.

You can also take advantage of Windows capabilities. Through the monitor icon in the notification area, go to the “Network Center”. Let's look at the full map. Using the “Wizard” we add the desired scanner model. This method is inferior to the previous one in terms of flexibility.