How to Scan and Edit a Document on Windows/Mac/iPhone/Android

Part 1: How to Scan and Edit a Document in Word?

If you want to know how to scan a document and make it editable without using a third-party tool on Windows, you can use Word. It has an in-built OCR feature to turn scanned PDFs into an editable and searchable file. However, the process may cause formatting issues, require extra editing, and OCR accuracy isn’t always perfect, especially for image-rich PDFs. But if your file is simple, here’s how to scan and edit a document in Word:

• Use a scanner to scan a document and save it as a PDF. Then, open Word.
• Head to “File.” Tap “Open.” Select the PDF. Hit “OK.”
• The Word will automatically convert the file to PDF. It will also turn scanned images into editable text.
• Make changes to the file in Word. Adjust formatting if necessary. Then, save as a “.docx” file.

Part 2: How to Scan and Edit a Document on Windows?

If you wish to learn how to scan a document and edit it without Word on Windows, use the “Windows Fax and Scan” feature for scanning.

However, it can’t perform OCR. So, you’ll have to use a third-party OCR tool like Tenorshare PDNob to make it editable and searchable. Here’s how to scan and edit a document on Windows 10/11 with Windows Fax and Scan + Tenorshare PDNob:

• Connect the scanner to your computer. Then, load the document in the scanner.
• Type “Windows Fax and Scan” in the Windows search field on the homepage. Then open the tool.
• Click “New Scan.” Choose your scanner. Then, adjust settings (Resolution, Color format, Source). Preview if needed. Hit “Scan.”

• The scan appears in the document pane. To save it as a PDF, head to “File.” Then, choose “Print.” Next, tap “Microsoft Print to PDF.”
• Install and execute Tenorshare PDNob on your Windows computer. Then, select “OCR PDF” to add the scanned PDF file. Allow the tool to download the OCR package.



• Head to the “Home” tab. Then, choose “OCR.” Tap “Perform OCR.”
• Select your desired “Scan Option,” “Language Recognition,” and “Page Range.” Click “Perform OCR” again.

• Once the tool has performed OCR, the file is editable and searchable. Next, head to “Edit” and modify the document. If you want to annotate the file, head to “Comment” and choose an annotation tool.
• Once editing is finished, head to “File.” Then, save the modified document.

Bonus Tip

You can also use the Tenorshare tool as a standalone to convert scanned PDFs other than from Windows Fax and Scan into editable and searchable documents. It can also perform batch OCR, offers 99% OCR accuracy, and retains the formatting and original quality of the scanned document. But that’s not all that this tool offers. It provides:

• OCR supports 20+ languages (English, Chinese, French, etc.).
• Over 30+ conversion formats like Word, Excel, PDF/A, images, and more.
• Add, replace, or modify images.
• 200+ annotations like mark-up, stamp, notes, highlights, etc.
• 100+ edits for text, images, watermarks, etc.
• Can compress, merge, and split PDFs.
• Process up to 1M files of any size in batch.
• Data encryption and password protection for sensitive information.
• Generates instant summaries, trend analysis, and responds to probes with GPT-5 powered AI Summarizer.
• Use the Screenshot Tool to capture your workflow.
• Fast and responsive technical support responses.

Part 2: How to Scan and Edit a Document on Mac?

If you want to know how to scan a document and edit it on a Mac, you can employ Mac Preview to scan and save the document as a PDF. Though it has a built-in scanner, Preview doesn’t have full OCR. Its “Live Text” feature lets you copy text from images, but it can’t fully convert scanned PDFs into editable text. So, you’ll have to use a third-party OCR tool like Tenorshare PDNob that also supports Mac systems to make the scanned document editable. Here’s how to scan and edit a document on a Mac computer:

• Connect the scanner to your computer. Then, load the document in the scanner.
• Open “Preview. Then, head to “File.” Next, choose “Import from Scanner.” Then, select your scanner.
• Click “Show Details.” Choose type (Text, B/W, or Color), resolution (DPI), size, orientation (Duplex if available), and adjust settings. Hit “Scan” to capture the document.
• Head to “File.” Then, choose “Save.” Tap “PDF.” Choose a location/name, and save.
• Next, install and execute Tenorshare PDNob on your Mac computer. Then, select “OCR PDF” to add the scanned PDF file. Allow the tool to download the OCR package.



• Go to the “Home” tab, select “OCR,” and then click “Perform OCR.”
• Choose the Scan Option, Recognition Language, and Page Range you need, then click “Perform OCR” once more.

• After the tool finishes OCR, your file becomes both editable and searchable. You can then go to “Edit” to make changes to the document, or switch to “Comment” if you’d like to add annotations using the available tools.
• When you’re done editing, go to “File” and select the option to save your updated document.

Part 3: How to Scan and Edit a Document on iPhone?

If you want to learn how to edit a scanned document on an iPhone, you can use the Notes app or the Files app for that. Here’s how:

Using the Notes App:

Using the Notes app to scan and edit on iPhone is quick and convenient, especially for adding scans to notes or making simple markups. It functions well for those who already use Notes for organization. However, editing options are limited, scans stay within the Notes app, and in some cases, they may not be viewable through iCloud in a browser. If you’re fine with that, here’s how to scan a document and edit it on iPhone with the Notes app:

• Open the “Notes” app on your iPhone. Then, create a new note. Tap the camera/attachment icon. Next, click “Scan Documents.”
• Position the paper in front of the camera. In “Auto mode,” it scans automatically.

• If you choose “Manual mode,” tap the shutter/volume button and adjust corners. Afterward, hit “Keep Scan.”
• Choose “Save.” The scan is stored as a PDF in the note. Next, click the scan to crop, rotate, change color, or add pages.
• Select the scan. Then, choose “Share” to send or save as a PDF.

Using the Files App:

Scanning with the Files app saves documents directly as PDFs in your chosen folder, making them easy to organize and store across different cloud services. It’s great for users who prefer a structured file system, but it has fewer editing tools than Notes and can take a few extra steps to start scanning. If you don’t mind, here’s how to scan and edit a document with the Files app:

• Open the Files app on your iPhone. Then, head to “Browse. Tap the three-dot icon (top-right) or swipe down in a folder to reveal it. Select “Scan Documents.”

• Switch between “Auto/Manual.” Next, pick scan mode (color, grayscale, B/W, photo). Adjust flash if needed.
• Line up the yellow box with the paper edges and tap the shutter button. Resize edges and edit the scan if needed. Then, click “Done.” Hit “Save.”
• Choose a folder (if starting from Browse) or the scan saves as a PDF in the folder you opened.

Part 3: How to Scan and Edit a Document on Android?

If you want to learn how to scan and edit a document for free on Android, you can use iScanner for this purpose. It offers AI-powered scans, OCR in multiple languages, and strong PDF editing tools. The app functions well for digitizing documents, receipts, and notes, with features like signing, merging, and securing files. However, the free version is limited, some users report organization and OCR issues, and the paid version can be expensive. If you’re fine with that, here’s how to scan and edit a document on Android with iScanner:

• Download and install iScanner from the Google Play Store. Open the app. Then, tap the “+” icon to start scanning.
• Point your camera at the document. The app will detect edges. Capture the scan automatically or tap to take the photo.

• Afterward, you can edit the scan by cropping, adjusting brightness/contrast, or using filters. Hit “Save” and choose a format (PDF, JPG, or TXT).

Part 4: Common Issues When Scanning and Editing a Document

When scanning and editing a document, users often complain about OCR errors, formatting loss, and large file size restrictions, especially when sharing them. Here’s how you can fix them:

OCR Errors (Misrecognized Text)

OCR can sometimes misread text, especially with poor scans, unusual fonts, handwriting, or tilted pages, leading to errors. To improve results, scan at 300 DPI, ascertain good lighting and contrast, keep pages straight, and clean the scanner glass.

Furthermore, save in OCR-friendly formats like TIFF or PNG, and use a credible OCR software like Tenorshare PDNob that manages low-quality scans well. Always proofread and correct mistakes, and when possible, use OCR-friendly fonts or preprocess images (e.g., skew correction) before running OCR.

Formatting Loss After Scanning

When scanned documents are converted to editable text, the original layout, fonts, and tables may be lost. To fix this, use a credible OCR tool like Tenorshare PDNob and consider creating and employing templates.

Also, adjust scanner settings (like lowering color depth), and be ready to manually reformat using tables or styles in Word. You can also paste text as plain, unformatted content in Word to start fresh.

Large File Sizes When Scanning

Scanned PDFs can become very large, making them harder to share or store. To reduce size, scan at a lower resolution (200–300 DPI for text, 600 DPI for images), in black and white instead of color, and use compact PDF or JPG formats. Cropping extra space, lowering image quality, or using PDF optimization tools can also help. As a last step, you can compress the file into a zip.

Part 5: FAQs About Scanning and Editing a Document

How do I convert a scanned document to editable text?

You can convert a scanned document to editable text by using a third-party tool like Tenorshare PDNob on Mac and Windows. It offers 99% accuracy and can batch perform OCR on multiple files with no restrictions. The tool can also edit and annotate documents. For iPhone, you can use the Notes or Files app for this purpose, and for Android, you can employ the iScanner.

Can I scan a document and make it fillable?

To fill a scanned document, you’ll need an OCR tool to make it editable first. For instance, you can employ a professional OCR software like Tenorshare PDNob on Mac and Windows. It offers 99% OCR accuracy to convert scanned documents into editable and searchable documents, and can also fill, sign, and share forms.

Conclusion

You can learn how to scan and edit a document using built-in tools on different platforms. You can employ Word’s OCR on Windows, or Notes, or Files app on iPhone, or iScanner on Android for this purpose. For Mac, you can use Mac Preview, and for Windows, you can employ Windows Fax and Scan for scanning.

However, these tools don’t provide an OCR facility. So, you’ll have to utilize an OCR tool like Tenorshare PDNob with them to make the scanned images editable. It’s a comprehensive PDF editing and management solution that offers 99% OCR accuracy, supports 30+ formats, batch processing, advanced editing, annotation features, and even AI-powered summaries.

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