Scan Documents to PDF with the Windows Scan App in Windows 10/11

Windows Scan can scan documents on Windows 11 and Windows 10, but it does not currently save scans directly as PDF files. Its available output types are image formats such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and Bitmap. To create a PDF with built-in Windows tools, scan the page or pages to images in Windows Scan, then combine them into one PDF with Microsoft Print to PDF. For a normal one- to several-page document, this takes about 10 minutes.

Important: This process produces an image-based PDF. Text in the finished PDF will not automatically become editable or searchable unless you use separate OCR-capable software.

Click to expand...

Prerequisites and compatibility​

You need:

• A scanner or multifunction printer with scanning hardware.
• The scanner powered on and connected by USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Bluetooth.
• The Windows Scan app.
• The built-in Microsoft Print to PDF virtual printer enabled.

Windows Scan supports scanners that Windows recognizes through compatible scanner drivers. A scanner built into an all-in-one printer may appear in Settings under the printer’s name rather than as a separate device.
Windows 10 remains covered by the procedure below, although Microsoft ended free Windows 10 security updates and technical support on October 14, 2025.

Confirm that Windows can see the scanner​

1. Turn on the scanner or multifunction printer.
2. If it uses USB, connect it directly to the PC if possible. Avoid USB hubs while troubleshooting.
3. Open the appropriate Settings page:
   Windows 11
   • Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
   Windows 10
   • Select Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
4. Look for the scanner or printer in the installed-device list.
   • On Windows 11, select the device. If Windows recognizes its scanner function, look for Scanner settings.
   • On Windows 10, select the printer, choose Manage, and look for an entry beginning with Scanner:.
5. If it is not listed, select the add-device option:
   Windows 11
   • Under Add a printer or scanner, select Add device beside the detected scanner.
   Windows 10
   • Under Add printers & scanners, select Add a printer or scanner.
   • Select the scanner when it appears, then choose Add device.
6. Wait for installation to finish. A restart is not normally required after Windows adds a scanner.

For wireless scanners, ensure the PC and scanner are connected to the same Wi-Fi network name (SSID). A guest Wi-Fi network, mesh-node isolation setting, or a different router band configured as a separate network can prevent discovery.

Scan the document with Windows Scan​

1. Install Windows Scan if it is missing​

1. Select Start and search for Windows Scan.
2. Select Scan under Apps if it appears.
3. If it does not appear:
   • Open Microsoft Store.
   • Search for Windows Scan.
   • Select the Microsoft app named Windows Scan, then choose Get or Install.
4. Open the app after installation completes.

2. Load the document correctly​

1. For a flatbed scanner, lift the lid.
2. Place the first page face down on the scanner glass, aligned with the corner guide.
3. Close the lid.

If using an automatic document feeder (ADF), load the stack according to the markings on the scanner. Some feeders require pages face up; others require them face down. Check the markings on the feeder itself or the scanner documentation.

3. Choose the scanner, source, image format, and destination​

1. In Windows Scan, use the Scanner drop-down list to choose the correct scanner.
2. Open the Source drop-down list and select the physical source that matches the loaded paper:
   • Flatbed for the scanner glass.
   • Feeder for an automatic document feeder.
   • Auto-configured if it is available and you want the scanner to choose its source and settings.
   Expected result: The selected source matches the place where the paper was loaded.
3. Under File type, choose an image format:
   • PNG is a good default for text documents when clarity matters.
   • JPEG usually creates smaller files but can introduce visible compression on fine text.
   • TIFF may be useful for archival or high-quality workflows, but files can be large.
   Do not expect a PDF option in this list; Windows Scan does not offer PDF as a direct output format.
4. Select Show more.
5. Under Save file to, select the folder link.
6. Browse to a location that will be easy to find, such as Documents\Scanned Documents, then select Select Folder.
   If you do not choose a folder, Windows Scan saves files to Pictures\Scans in your user profile.
7. If the app exposes resolution or color controls under Show more, use these practical settings:
   • 300 dpi for ordinary text documents.
   • Color for colored forms, IDs, stamps, or photos.
   • Grayscale or Black and white for simple text where the scanner supports it.
   Higher resolution increases file size significantly. Use 600 dpi only when you genuinely need fine detail, such as small print, technical drawings, or photographs.

4. Scan the pages​

1. Confirm the document is loaded and the correct source is selected.
2. Select Scan at the bottom of the Windows Scan window.
3. Wait for the scanner to finish.
   Expected result: Windows Scan automatically saves an image file to the folder selected earlier.
4. At the top of the app, select:
   • View to inspect the scan in Photos, or
   • Close to return to Windows Scan and prepare another scan.
5. For a flatbed scanner with multiple pages:
   • Replace the first page with the next page.
   • Select Scan again.
   • Repeat until every page is saved.
6. For an ADF:
   • Load the pages in their intended order.
   • Select Feeder as the source.
   • Run the scan job.
   • Confirm all pages were saved before removing the paper.

5. Put pages in the intended PDF order​

Before creating the PDF, open the scan folder and confirm every page is present.

1. Right-click Start and select File Explorer, or press Windows key + E.
2. Open the folder chosen under Save file to.
3. Set the folder view to Details or Large icons so you can inspect the scans.
4. Open each image as needed to confirm that it is upright, readable, and complete.
5. If pages are out of order, rename them with leading numbers, for example:
   
   Code:

   001-Application.png
   002-Receipt.png
   003-Signature.png

6. Sort the folder by Name in ascending order.
   Expected result: The files appear in the exact sequence intended for the PDF.

Create one PDF with Microsoft Print to PDF​

1. In File Explorer, select all scan images that belong in the PDF.
   • Select the first image, hold Shift, and select the last image for a consecutive range.
   • Hold Ctrl while selecting individual files that are not next to one another.
2. Open the Print Pictures command:
   Windows 11
   • Right-click one of the selected images.
   • Select Show more options.
   • Select Print.
   Windows 10
   • Right-click one of the selected images.
   • Select Print.
3. In the Print Pictures window, open the Printer list.
4. Select Microsoft Print to PDF.
5. Select a layout appropriate for a document, normally Full page photo.
6. If the preview crops a page, clear Fit picture to frame.
   Expected result: The preview shows the full scan rather than cutting off page edges.
7. Select Print.
8. In the Save Print Output As window:
   • Choose the destination folder.
   • Enter a descriptive name.
   • Confirm that the file type is PDF.
   • Select Save.
   Expected result: Windows creates one PDF containing the selected scanned images as pages.

Verify that the PDF was created correctly​

1. Open the folder where you saved the PDF.
2. Confirm the filename ends in .pdf.
3. Double-click the PDF. It should open in Microsoft Edge or your configured PDF reader.
4. Check:
   • The page count matches the number of scanned pages.
   • Pages are in the correct order.
   • No text, signatures, page edges, or form fields are cut off.
   • Pages are upright and readable at 100% zoom.
   • The PDF is saved in the intended location.

Warning: Do not delete the original PNG, JPEG, or TIFF scans until you have opened and checked the PDF. If you delete them accidentally, first check the Recycle Bin and restore them. Keeping the originals is also useful if you later need to recreate the PDF at a different resolution or page order.

Click to expand...

Alternate method: use the scanner manufacturer’s app for direct PDF output​

Use the scanner manufacturer’s software instead of Windows Scan when you need any of the following:

• A direct, single-step multi-page PDF scan.
• Automatic double-sided scanning from an ADF.
• Searchable PDFs with optical character recognition (OCR).
• Blank-page removal, deskewing, automatic cropping, or document cleanup.
• Large batches of documents.

Many scanner manufacturers provide an app or driver utility that exposes features Windows Scan does not. This is especially useful for office multifunction printers and dedicated document scanners.

Troubleshooting​

Windows Scan does not list the scanner​

1. Close Windows Scan.
2. Confirm the scanner is powered on.
3. For USB models:
   • Disconnect the USB cable.
   • Connect it to a different USB port directly on the PC.
   • Wait about 30 seconds, then reopen Windows Scan.
4. For Wi-Fi models:
   • Confirm the PC and scanner are on the same network.
   • Restart the scanner, then reopen Windows Scan.
5. Return to the appropriate Settings path and select Add device:
   Windows 11: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device.
   Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners > Add a printer or scanner.
6. If the scanner still does not appear, install the current scanner driver or utility from the hardware manufacturer, then restart the PC only if the installer requests it.

The Scan button is unavailable, or the scanner reports no paper​

The selected source usually does not match the paper location.

1. In Windows Scan, open Source.
2. Select Flatbed when the page is on the glass.
3. Select Feeder when pages are in the automatic feeder.
4. If supported, try Auto-configured.
5. Re-seat the page or paper stack, close the scanner lid or feeder cover, and scan again.

The scan is cropped, sideways, faint, or too large​

• Cropped: Reposition the paper on the glass, ensure it is inside the alignment guides, and use Full page photo with Fit picture to frame cleared when producing the PDF.
• Sideways: Rotate the affected scan before creating the PDF. In File Explorer, right-click the image and use a rotate command, or open it in Photos and rotate it there.
• Faint or unreadable: Use Color or Grayscale instead of Black and white, clean the scanner glass, and rescan at 300 dpi.
• PDF is excessively large: Rescan at 300 dpi or lower where acceptable, use JPEG for ordinary documents, and avoid scanning blank pages.

Microsoft Print to PDF is missing from the printer list​

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type:
   optionalfeatures
3. Press Enter.
4. In Windows Features, find Microsoft Print to PDF.
5. Select its check box, then select OK.
6. Restart only if Windows prompts you to do so.
7. Repeat the File Explorer printing steps and select Microsoft Print to PDF.

If the feature is already checked but still missing:

Warning: Clearing and re-enabling this feature temporarily removes the virtual PDF printer. Do this only if you have confirmed it is missing or malfunctioning.

Click to expand...

1. Clear the Microsoft Print to PDF check box.
2. Select OK and restart if prompted.
3. Reopen optionalfeatures.
4. Select the Microsoft Print to PDF check box again.
5. Select OK and restart if prompted.
6. Return to the Print Pictures window and verify that Microsoft Print to PDF is available.

The PDF contains only one page or the pages are in the wrong order​

1. Cancel the PDF creation.
2. Return to the scan folder.
3. Confirm all page images exist and open correctly.
4. Rename them with leading page numbers such as 001, 002, and 003.
5. Sort by Name.
6. Select all required images before right-clicking and choosing Print.
7. Create the PDF again and verify its page count before deleting any originals.

---

References​

1. Official source: support.microsoft.com
   
   

   Install and use a scanner in Windows | Microsoft Support

   Learn how to install a scanner and then use it to scan pictures and documents in Windows.

   support.microsoft.com
2. Official source: apps.microsoft.com
   
   

   Scan as PDF - Download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store

   With the little helper you can scan a document with one click and save it as a PDF. Alternatively, the scanned pages can also be saved as an image file, e.g. be saved as JPG or PNG.

You can make corrections (alignment, color and many more) to the scanned documents directly...

   apps.microsoft.com
3. Official source: learn.microsoft.com
   
   

   I do not have the option to print to PDF. How do I restore this? - Microsoft Q&A

   I followed some A.I. advice trying to get a physical printer to print. Following these steps, printing to PDF has disappeared. I cannot reinstall it. Please help

   learn.microsoft.com