How to Scan to PDF, Including Multi-Page Documents

1What this lesson covers

This lesson shows you how to scan to PDF, the file type most schools, employers, landlords and government forms ask for. A single page is easy; the trick is getting a multi-page document, like a signed lease or a ten-page assignment, into one PDF instead of ten separate files. You’ll learn the quickest method for your setup and how to keep the file small enough to upload.

2Before you start

Make sure you can already scan a single page; if not, start with how to scan a document. Then check which method suits your printer:

• Document feeder (ADF): the easiest way to get multi-page PDFs. Pages feed through one after another into one file.
• Glass only: you scan one page at a time, then combine them. The Mac does this in one step; on Windows there are two simple options below.
• Manufacturer software: many official scanning apps have a multi-page PDF option with “add page” buttons. Use it if you’ve installed it from the manufacturer’s site.

3Scan a multi-page PDF on a Mac

1. Open Image Capture (or Open Scanner from Printers & Scanners) and select your scanner.
2. Click Show Details.
3. Set Format to PDF. You should see: a Combine into single document checkbox appear. Tick it.
4. Choose the source. Pick the document feeder for a stack, or flatbed for the glass.
5. Scan. With the feeder, all pages scan in one go. With the glass, scan the first page, then swap the page and scan again; with the combine option ticked, Image Capture adds each page to the same PDF while the window stays open.
6. Check the Scan To folder. You should see: one PDF containing all the pages.

4Scan a multi-page PDF on Windows

With a document feeder:

1. Open the Scan app, choose your scanner and set Source to Feeder.
2. Set File type to PDF.
3. Load the stack in the feeder as the icon shows and select Scan. You should see: a single PDF with every page in the Scans folder.

With the glass only (combine images into one PDF):

1. Scan each page as a JPEG with the Scan app, set to Flatbed. Give the files names that sort in order, or scan them in order so the times line up.
2. Open the Scans folder in File Explorer and select all the page images (hold Ctrl and click each one, in order).
3. Right-click and choose Print. In Windows 11 you may need Show more options first.
4. Choose “Microsoft Print to PDF” as the printer, select Full page photo as the layout, and untick Fit picture to frame if pages are being cropped.
5. Select Print and name the file. You should see: one PDF with each scan on its own page.

5Keep the PDF small

Upload forms often have a file size limit. To keep PDFs small:

1. Scan text at 300 DPI or lower. That’s sharp enough for reading and printing.
2. Use grayscale or black and white for plain text documents.
3. Use color only when it matters, such as colored stamps, photos or charts.

6Check that it worked

Open the PDF and scroll through every page. You should see: all the pages, in order, the right way up and readable when zoomed in. Check the file size in File Explorer or Finder before uploading.

7Troubleshooting

• The feeder pulls several pages at once. Fan the stack gently, remove staples, and don’t overload the feeder.
• The feeder option is missing. The basic driver may not expose it. Install the manufacturer’s full scanning software from its official site; see how to find and install the right printer driver.
• Pages are sideways. Rotate them in your PDF reader if it allows editing, or rescan with the page placed as the corner marker shows.
• Text can’t be searched or copied. Basic scans are pictures of text. Some manufacturer apps and PDF tools offer text recognition (OCR) if you need it.
• ”Combine into single document” doesn’t appear on a Mac. Make sure Format is set to PDF first.

8When to get more help

If the document feeder jams repeatedly, misfeeds every page or leaves marks on originals, stop using it and scan on the glass, then contact the manufacturer’s support. Precious or fragile originals should always go on the glass.

9FAQ

Is a scanned PDF the same as a PDF made from Word?

Not quite. A scanned PDF is a picture of each page, so the text usually can’t be selected or edited unless text recognition has been applied.

Can I add a page to a PDF I already scanned?

Some PDF readers can combine files; on a Mac, Preview can drag pages from one PDF into another. Otherwise, scan everything again into one file.

What’s the best resolution for scanning to PDF?

300 DPI suits almost all documents. Go lower for very large documents with a strict size limit, and higher only for detailed images.

Can my printer scan straight to a USB drive or email?

Some can, from the control panel, using their own menus. Check your model’s manual; those features vary by printer.