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On a supported Galaxy phone, you can scan a paper document with the Camera app: frame the page, tap the scan prompt when it appears, review the result, then save it. The exact controls depend on your model, software version and region. Samsung’s general guidance covers devices running Android 12 or later; its newer intelligent scanner instructions are specifically for Galaxy S26 phones with One UI 8.5 or later.
Scan a document with the Camera app
- Set up the page. Put the document on a flat surface in good light. Position the phone so the whole page and all four corners are visible in the camera view.
- Open Camera and frame the page. Wait for the camera to detect the document and display a scan control. On Samsung’s Galaxy S26 instructions, that control is labeled Scan.
- Tap the scan control. Check the captured page for missing edges, shadows or distortion. Use the available review or edit controls to correct the result before saving.
- Save or share the scan. On the Galaxy S26 workflow, you can save the scan as an image or PDF. You can also combine multiple scanned pages into one PDF.
Samsung’s S26 steps and screenshots are based on a Galaxy S26 Ultra running Android 16 and One UI 8.5. Samsung notes that menus and features can vary by model, software version and region. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 scanning guide has the model-specific instructions.
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Check whether your phone supports the same workflow
General Galaxy document scanning
Samsung’s general support guidance says document scanning is available on devices with Android 12 or later. The camera detects a document and presents a scan action; supported functions also include recognizing text, copying recognized text and sending it to Samsung Notes. The controls and output options are not necessarily identical across all eligible phones. See Samsung’s general Galaxy document and text scanning guidance.
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The newer intelligent scanner described by Samsung requires One UI 8.5 or later. Its directions cover image or PDF saving and combining pages into one PDF. If your phone does not show the same buttons, check its model and One UI version rather than assuming the S26 instructions apply to it.
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Where to find the scan setting
For Australian Galaxy S26 variants, Samsung documents this route: Camera > Menu > Settings > Scanning. There, enable Document scan if it is off. This is a regional route, not a guaranteed menu path on every Galaxy phone. Refer to Samsung Australia’s Galaxy S26 camera guide for that variant.
Improve the scan before saving
- Use even light. Strong shadows or color casts can leave artifacts in the corrected scan.
- Flatten the page. Curves, folds or a warped surface can prevent the camera from correcting the document cleanly. Samsung advises laying warped documents flat; for a strongly warped page, its S26 guidance specifies a distance of less than 4 cm.
- Keep the page large in frame. For the S26 intelligent scanner, the document must fill at least 20% of the camera area, with all four corners visible.
- Review the edges and text. Confirm that the full page is present and that correction has not left obvious distortion before keeping the file.
Samsung’s general guidance also warns that correction may be incomplete when a document is strongly curved or placed on a deformed surface. The S26 framing thresholds are instructions for that scanner, not universal measurements for every Galaxy model.
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- WORKS YOUR WAY – Use the Brother free iPrint&Scan desktop app for scanning to multiple “Scan-to” destinations like PC, Network, cloud services, Email and OCR. (2) Supports Windows, Mac and Linux and TWAIN/WIA for PC/ICA for Mac/SANE drivers. (3)
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If the scan prompt does not appear
- Check framing and light. Show the full rectangular page, including its corners, and avoid strong shadows.
- Look for a scanning setting. On Australian S26 variants, use Camera > Menu > Settings > Scanning and check Document scan. Other models or regions may use different menus.
- Confirm your model and software. Samsung’s general guidance identifies Android 12 or later for document scanning, while the described S26 intelligent scanner requires One UI 8.5 or later. These instructions describe different feature scopes, so a missing S26 control does not by itself mean the Camera app is faulty.
- Use model-specific Samsung directions. Menu labels and availability can vary by model, software version and region; check the guidance for your particular device.
Choose an output that fits the job
- One page to share or keep: Save an image if you need a picture of the page. On the S26 workflow, PDF is also an option.
- Several pages in one file: The S26 scanner can combine multiple pages into a single PDF. Samsung’s support instructions do not establish that this exact control is available on every older Galaxy model.
- Text you can copy: Samsung’s general guidance describes recognizing and copying text from a scan, or sending recognized text to Samsung Notes. Do not assume identical text-recognition controls or results across models.
- A note or an existing PDF: Samsung Notes can import and export PDFs; menu names and availability can vary by app version. See Samsung’s Samsung Notes PDF guidance.
Older alternative for a multipage PDF
In an article published August 1, 2023, Samsung Business Insights documented a workflow using the Microsoft Office app: open Actions > Scan to PDF, scan a page, choose Add New, confirm each page, then finish and edit or share the PDF. Those are the app menus described in that 2023 article; the current Office app may use different labels or steps. For the documented workflow, see Samsung Business Insights’ 2023 guide.
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