How-to

How to take clear, straight, well-lit scans of documents with a phone

Set up a flat, plain surface

Most blurred or skewed scans start with a poor set-up. A little preparation usually makes the biggest difference:

• Place the document on a flat, plain, contrasting surface, such as a dark table under a white page.
• Smooth out folds and creases. A heavy book or a clear sheet of glass can help a curled page lie flat, as long as it does not cast a shadow or reflection.
• Remove clips, staples where possible, and anything else that lifts part of the page.
• Keep the whole page in view, with a small margin of the surface visible on every side, so no edge or corner is cut off.

A cluttered background can confuse automatic edge detection, so clearing the area first often saves repeated attempts.

Get the light even

Even, soft light usually gives the clearest result. Some people find these steps helpful:

• Use bright daylight from a window where possible, or a bright, even room light.
• Avoid placing the phone so that its own shadow, or the shadow of a hand, falls across the page.
• Be cautious with the built-in flash. It can create a bright spot on glossy paper and washed-out text.
• Turn the document or move to a different spot if one side of the page is noticeably darker than the other.

If the page looks grey or dull on screen, more light often helps more than editing afterwards.

Hold the phone square and keep it steady

Angle and movement are the two most common causes of text that looks stretched or soft.

1. Hold the phone parallel to the page. Pointing the camera at an angle makes one edge look larger than the other and can distort the text.
2. Fill the frame sensibly. Get close enough that the page takes up most of the screen, while keeping every edge visible.
3. Let the camera focus. Tap on the text on screen and wait a moment for it to sharpen before taking the picture.
4. Keep still. Resting elbows on the table, using a small stand, or using a timer can reduce shake.
5. Line up the grid. Turning on the camera grid lines can make it easier to see whether the page is straight.

If glare appears on a shiny page, tilting the page slightly or moving the light source usually shifts the reflection away from the text.

Handle multi-page and small-print documents

Documents with several pages, or with very small print, benefit from a consistent routine:

• Scan the pages in order and keep the same lighting and distance for each one, so the set looks uniform.
• Include both sides of a page if there is printing on the back.
• For dense or small text, move a little closer, or scan in sections only if that remains easy to follow, rather than relying on zooming in later.
• Keep each page the same way up, as it is easier to read a set that is all oriented consistently.

Once the pages are captured, one approach is to give each file a clear name and number. A separate guide on naming and numbering scanned files describes one way to do this. If a file turns out to be very large, the guide on reducing file size for upload covers some general options.

Any rules about accepted file types, sizes or formats are stated on the upload page itself or in the current guidance on GOV.UK, and they can change, so it is worth reading them directly.

Check each scan before you move on

A quick check at the time is much easier than finding a problem later, when the original may no longer be to hand. Before putting the paper away, it can help to:

• Zoom in on the text and read a few lines to confirm it is sharp.
• Look closely at figures, dates, names and reference numbers, one character at a time.
• Check all four corners and edges to make sure nothing has been cropped.
• Look for glare, shadows or fingers in the frame.
• Flick through the whole set to confirm that no page is missing or repeated.

If anything looks doubtful, retaking the picture straight away is usually quicker than repairing it afterwards.

It is also worth remembering that scans of passports, bank statements and similar papers contain sensitive details. Some people turn off automatic cloud backup of photos for those images, delete stray copies from the camera roll once safely stored, and keep the phone locked with a passcode. A separate guide on storing sensitive documents securely looks at this in more detail.

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