How this works in your browser
pdf-lib builds a document with one page per photo, embedding each image at its original resolution and sizing the page to match the picture so nothing is cropped or letterboxed. Deliberately, no image processing happens in between: there is no contrast stretching, no auto-cropping and no perspective correction, which keeps the result a faithful record of what you photographed rather than a guess at what you meant. That is the trade-off against a dedicated scanner app, and it is why the Cam Scanner tool exists separately for cases where you do need the page corners squared up. Everything runs locally, so documents you are digitising precisely because they are sensitive never leave the device.
Scan to PDF vs. traditional online converters
| Feature | Scan to PDF (in-browser) | Traditional online converters |
|---|---|---|
| File upload required | No - never leaves your device | Yes - file is sent to a server |
| Processing queue | None - starts instantly | Often, especially at peak times |
| Watermark on output | Never | Common on free plans |
| Usage limits | None - free, unlimited use | Often capped per day or file size |
| Works offline once loaded | Yes, for most tools | No - requires a live connection |
| Account required | No | Often, for anything beyond a trial |
How to use Scan to PDF
- 1
Photograph your pages
Shoot each page straight on in even lighting, filling the frame with the document and avoiding shadows across the text.
- 2
Drop the photos in and order them
Open the Scan to PDF tool, add your JPG, PNG or WebP images, and drag them into the correct page order.
- 3
Save the PDF
Combine them into one document and download it. Run OCR afterwards if you need the text to be searchable.
Common ways to use Scan to PDF
Digitising receipts and paperwork
Turn a pile of receipts or letters into a single PDF for filing or expenses without owning a scanner.
Submitting documents from a phone
Photograph a signed form or ID and send it as the single PDF most portals ask for.
Archiving handwritten notes
Capture notebook pages as one ordered document you can store and share.
Frequently asked questions
What image formats are supported?
JPG, PNG, and WebP are all supported. You can mix formats freely in the same batch.
Can I improve the quality of a dark or blurry scan?
Image enhancement is not built into this tool. For better results, ensure good lighting when photographing the document. You can also try the Remove Background tool afterwards to clean up scanned pages.
Is there a limit on how many images I can combine?
No hard limit. Processing happens in your browser, so very large batches of high-resolution photos may take a moment on slower devices.
Does it straighten a photo taken at an angle?
No, and this is the honest limitation. Your photos are placed as they are, so a page shot from an angle stays keystoned. If you need the corners pulled square into a flat scan, use the Cam Scanner tool instead, which is built for exactly that and also outputs a multi-page PDF.
Will the text in my scan be searchable?
Not on its own. The result is a PDF containing photographs of pages, so there is no text layer. Run it through the OCR tool afterwards to make the words selectable and searchable.
Why is my PDF so large?
Phone cameras produce very high-resolution images and each one becomes a full page. A ten-page scan can easily run to tens of megabytes. Compress the images first, or run the finished PDF through Compress PDF.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. The PDF is assembled inside your browser tab, which matters when the paperwork is a contract or an ID document.