A document scanner at hand is not a luxury, but a necessity in the digital age. Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the task of digitizing paper documents, but not everyone knows that it does not require additional devices or complex software, POCO Or Mi is already equipped with everything necessary to create quality PDF-scans right out of the box.
In this article, we will analyze all available methods - from built-in functions. MIUI You'll learn how to scan a passport, receipt or multi-page contract with perfect quality, avoiding the typical mistakes, and we'll also uncover the secrets of optimizing scans for printing or mailing.
Whether you’re using Xiaomi’s flagship 14 Ultra or the budget Redmi Note 12, the instructions are right for all devices based on the device. MIUI 12-14. Ready to turn your phone into a full-fledged scanner!
1. Built-in document scanner in MIUI: Where to look and how to use
Many users do not know that the MIUI We already have a built-in scanner, the Xiaomi Document Scanner, hidden in the standard Camera app, but it works just as well as specialized software, the main advantage is that there are no additional downloads and full integration with the system.
To find this feature:
- 📱 Open the Camera app on your Xiaomi
- 🔍 Fly through the shooting modes left to Documents (or Doc on English firmware)
- 📄 Point the camera at the document – the system will automatically highlight the boundaries
- 📲 Press the shutter button and confirm the saving
The scan will automatically be saved in the gallery in format PDF (if the document is a single page; or JPG (For multi-page documents, additional processing is required. MIUI 14 scanner supports automatic perspective correction and improving text clarity without third-party applications.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with POCO Launcher or custom firmware mode Documents may not be available, in which case use alternative methods from the following sections.
2. How to keep the scan in PDF: step-by-step
Even if you successfully scanned a document through an embedded tool, you still need to save it properly in format. PDF. V MIUI This is a very simple process, but there are nuances for multi-page documents.
For single-page documents:
- Scan the document in Document mode
- Click on the scan thumbnail in the lower right corner of the screen
- Choose Save How PDF (or Export as PDF)
- Specify the folder to save (we recommend creating a separate folder Scans)
For multi-page documents:
- 📂 First, save all pages as separate files. JPG
- 📱 Open the File Manager (File Manager) application)
- 🔧 Select all scans, press More. → Create PDF
- 📄 Set the file name and confirm the association
| Format | File size | Quality. | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF (standard) | 0.5–2 MB | Good (300 dpi) | Postage, seals |
| PDF (compression) | 0.1-0.8 MB | Satisfactory (150 dpi) | Messengers, cloud storage |
| JPG | 1-5 MB | Very good (600 dpi) | Archival storage, editing |
Make sure you have good lighting.|Put the document on a flat surface|Clean the camera of fingerprints.|Turn it off. HDR camera-setting-->
3. Top.-3 Scanning apps on Xiaomi: comparison and selection
If built-in capabilities MIUI You don't have enough, you have to look at specialized applications. They offer advanced features: OCR (Text recognition), cloud storage, editing PDF We tested dozens of programs and selected the best ones for Xiaomi.
1. Adobe Scan (free, with premium features)
- ✅ Automatic alignment and quality improvement
- ✅ Integration with Adobe Acrobat for editing PDF
- ✅ Text recognition (OCR) 100+ language
- ❌ Advertising in the free version
2. CamScanner (Free of charge)
- ✅ Cloud storage of up to 200 documents
- ✅ Ability to add watermarks
- ✅ Night Scan Mode for Low Lighting
- ❌ Limiting the number of scans per day
3. Microsoft Lens (completely free)
- ✅ Exports to PDF, Word, PowerPoint
- ✅ Sync with OneDrive and Office 365
- ✅ "Ballboard" mode for scanning records from chalkboard
- ❌ There is no Russian language support in some versions.
⚠️ Note: Apps like FineScanner or ScanBot require subscriptions to save to the Internet. PDF. In our ranking only those programs where basic functionality is available for free.
💡
Before installing third-party scanners, check the application permissions. Excessive requests (such as access to contacts) can indicate an unscrupulous developer.
4. Secrets of quality scanning: lighting, angles and camera settings
Even the most advanced software can't help you if you don't get the original image, and the scan quality is 80 percent dependent on the conditions you're shooting, and you can follow these rules to get a professional result.
Lighting:
- 💡 Use natural light (window) or two light sources from different sides
- 🔦 Avoid direct light, it creates glare (better scattered light)
- 🌑 In dark conditions, turn on Night Shooting Mode in the camera settings
Positioning:
- 📏 Hold the camera parallel to the document (angle 90)°)
- 📐 Distance to document – 20-30 cm (for most Xiaomi models)
- 🖼️ For books: Keep your finger on the page to avoid curvature
Camera settings:
- 🔘 Turn it off. HDR — It can distort the color of documents.
- 📸 Set 12 MP resolution (optimum for scans)
- 🎛️ In manual mode (Pro) set up ISO 100-200 for minimal noise
How to scan glossy documents?
5. Scan processing: cropping, turning and quality improvement
Scan ready, but needs some work? MIUI And third-party applications have post-processing tools:
Pruning and alignment:
- Open the scan in the Gallery or Files app
- Press Edit. → Pruning
- Use automatic alignment or set corners manually
- Confirm the changes and keep the new option
Improving clarity:
- 🔍 In Adobe Scan: Choose to Improve → Sharpness
- 🖼️ Microsoft Lens: activate the option to Improve the document
- 📱 In Standard Gallery: Edit → Details. → Sharpness
Color correction:
- 🎨 For black and white documents: use the filter Shades of gray
- 🔘 For color scans: Increase contrast by 10-15%
- 📊 In Lightroom Mobile, use Document Scan Preserve
💡
Always save the original scan before editing, and in the process of improving quality, details critical to official documents may be lost.
6. Cloud storage and scanning: security and convenience
Document scans often contain sensitive information, so it is important to properly organize their storage and transfer.
Cloud storage:
- 🌥️ Mi Cloud (built into Xiaomi): Automatic Sync, 5GB Free
- 📁 Google Drive: easy search by text (if scanned from the OCR)
- 🔒 Mega: End-to-end encryption for maximum security
Postage:
- 📧 Use the compression. PDF Adobe Acrobat for files >5MB
- 🔐 For important documents, set a password: File → Password-protected
- 📎 Attach scans in format PDF/A archival
Messengers:
- 💬 Send Telegram as a file, not as a photo (preserves quality)
- 📱 On WhatsApp, use the Document instead of the Gallery
- 🔗 For large files (>100MB) use WeTransfer or MailBigFile
⚠️ Note: Never send scans of passports or bank cards through unsecured channels (e.g, SMS Use only encrypted messengers (Signal, Telegram Secret Chat) or secure emails.
7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Even experienced users sometimes make scanning errors, and we've collected the most common ones and ways to solve them:
| Mistake. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Blurred text | Trembling of hands or weak lighting | Use a shutter timer or tripod |
| Distorted edges | Wrong angle of shooting | Turn on the grid in the camera settings |
| The glare on the gloss | Direct light from the lamp | Scan in scattered light or use a polarizer |
| It's too big a file. | High resolution (48 MP) | Set 12 MP resolution in the scanner settings |
Another common problem is incorrect text recognition when using OCR. It's because of this:
- 🔤 Too small or fuzzy font (increase contrast before scanning)
- 📜 Curved text (align the document in the editor)
- 🌐 Unsupported language (check settings) OCR appendix)
💡
If the scan is skewed, use Google's PhotoScan app, which specializes in perspective correction and is ideal for scanning books or thick documents.