How to scan a document on a Xiaomi phone: a detailed guide

Why to scan documents from your phone and why Xiaomi is right for it

Scanning documents via a smartphone has long been an alternative to bulky MFPs — especially when you urgently need to send a copy of a passport, diploma or contract. Xiaomi (including the Redmi and POCO lines) offers several tools for this, from the built-in Scanner application to integration with Google Drive and third-party services. The main advantages are speed, mobility and the ability to immediately save the result in PDF or JPG without losing quality.

But not everyone knows that even Xiaomi’s budget models (like the Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5) do this as well as flagships thanks to optimized software and a feature-rich camera. The key is the right lighting and resolution settings to avoid glare on glossy documents or blurring the text. In this article, we will analyze all available methods, including hidden MIUI chips that are not written about in the official instructions.

Important: If you need to scan a two-way document (like a passport) or create a multi-page PDF, some methods will be more effective than others. We tested them on models from the Redmi 9A to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the results are summarized in the comparison table below.

Method 1: Built-in Scanner application in MIUI

The most obvious and often underrated option is the standard Scanner app (a blue background icon with a white document icon) preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, with the main advantage of having no advertising and unnecessary permissions, unlike many third-party counterparts.

To take advantage of it:

• 📱 Open the Scanner app (if you don’t find it, check the Tools folder or search the menu).
• 📸 Point the camera at the document – the application will automatically highlight the boundaries (if it does not work, manually click on the “Capture” button»**).
• 🔄 Adjust the corners if necessary by clicking “Adjust” or add more pages with a button «+».
• 💾 Save the result in PDF or JPG (Change the resolution to 300 dpi is available for printing).

Features of the work:

• ✅ Automatic perspective alignment (elimines the trapezoid effect if you shoot at an angle).
• ✅ Support OCR (Text recognition) for 10+ languages, including Russian.
• ⚠️ Limitation: maximum size PDF — 50 pages (for large documents, use CamScanner or Adobe Scan).

⚠️ Note: If, after scanning, the text in PDF It's blurry, check the camera settings. In Scanner, go to Settings. → Image quality" and select "High" (Balanced by default is "High»).

Method 2: Scanning through Google Drive (for sync with PC)

If you need to not only scan the document, but also upload it to the cloud, the most convenient method is to use Google Drive. This method is suitable for Xiaomi owners who are actively working with Google services (for example, on POCO F5 or Redmi K60 with global firmware).

Instructions:

1. Open the Google Drive app (if not installed, download from the Play Market).
2. Click on the + icon in the lower right corner and select Scan.
3. Take a picture of the document (the app will automatically trim the edges).
4. Click Save** – the file will appear in your Drive immediately and will be accessible from any device.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔗 Instant sync with Google Docs (you can edit the text immediately after the end of the day). OCR).
• 📂 Automatic backup (don’t lose scans even when you reset your phone).
• 📱 It works on all Xiaomi models, including the old ones (Redmi 8, Mi). A3).

⚠️ Note: When scanning through Google Drive, files are saved in the format by default JPG, not PDF. To get PDF, After scanning, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Save as PDF»**.

Method 3: Third-party applications (CamScanner, Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens)

If embedded tools don't work, consider specialized applications that offer enhanced capabilities: quality improvements, mass scanning, cloud integration, and even electronic signatures.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📑 CamScanner: Best choice for professional use (Evernote plugins, Dropbox, watermarks) Free version adds logo to scans.
• 📄 Adobe Scan: Ideal for working with PDF (lossless compression, editing the text after OCR). Requires registration with Adobe ID.
• 🔍 Microsoft Lens: optimized for office documents (Integration with OneNote and Word) Supports whiteboard or presentation scanning.

How do you choose?

• For students and notes - Microsoft Lens (can glue the photos of the board into one file).
• For business – CamScanner (there are templates for accounts and contracts).
• For archiving – Adobe Scan (best PDF quality).

Install the app from the official store (not APK)

Provide access to the camera and storage

Turn off Battery Optimization for the app in MIUI settings

Set up the resolution (minimum 200 dpi for documents)

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Advice: on Xiaomi models with AMOLED-With screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro) enable Read mode** in the display settings before scanning – this will reduce screen glare on the document.

Method 4: Scan through Notes in MIUI

Few people know, but the standard Notes app in MIUI can also scan documents, a method that is convenient if you need to quickly paste the scan into a text file or send it through a note.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Notes and create a new note.
2. Click on the Camera icon** in the lower menu.
3. Select the Scan Document mode** (if not, update the app via Play Market).
4. Take a picture of the document and confirm the cropping.
5. The scan will be inserted into the note - it can be saved separately or sent directly from there.

Pros of the method:

• ⚡ Faster than running a separate application.
• 📎 Convenient for creating annotated scans (you can add text notes on top of the image).

⚠️ Note: Notes have no function OCR, So you can't recognize the text from the document. For that, export the scan to Google Drive or Adobe Scan.

💡

If you scan a color document (for example, a diploma with a seal), in the Xiaomi camera settings, turn off the filter «AI-scene" - it can distort colors. Use "Professional" mode with manual white balance settings.

Method 5: Camera scanning and manual processing

If you need to scan a document without installing additional applications, you can do with a standard camera and manual processing, which is suitable for single scans when speed is important.

Algorithm of action:

1. Open the camera and go to Pro mode.
2. Set the settings: Resolution: 16 MP (or maximum for your model). Format: JPEG (for further conversion to PDF); White balance: Daylight (if scanning with a lamp, select Incandescent lamp).

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"Cadration"

«Share. → Save how PDF»**

To improve quality:

• 💡 Use an external light source (do not take pictures in the light of the phone screen – this gives a glare).
• 📏 If the document is large (A3 format), take a photo of it in parts and glue it in Photoshop Express or PicsArt.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose for your task

The choice of scanning method depends on the purpose, the model of the phone and the quality requirements.

Special cases:

• 📱 Xiaomi with an infrared port (such as Mi 10) can be used IR-Camera to scan in the dark – but the quality will be worse than in daylight.
• 🔋 If your phone’s battery is under 20%, postpone the scan — MIUI can forcibly close the background processes, and the scan will not remain.

💡

For Xiaomi models with a telephoto camera (such as the Xiaomi 12S Ultra), use 2× or 5× zoom when scanning fine text – this will reduce distortion at the edges.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with a good phone, you can get a bad scan, if you don't take into account the nuances, here are 5 common mistakes and ways to fix them:

1. Glare on glossy documents: Problem: Light from a lamp or window is reflected on laminated documents (for example, on a driver's license). Solution: Tilt the document at an angle of 30-45° or use a polarizing filter (you can buy for a smartphone or remove from old sunglasses).
2. Document edges: Problem: When you shoot at an angle, the text gets distorted and the edges become trapezoidal. Solution: Turn on Grid in your camera settings and align the document along lines. Apps like CamScanner have a "Autolevelation" feature.

Additional life hacks:

• 🔄 If the document is bilateral (such as a passport), take a picture of both sides and then combine them into a single document. PDF Adobe Acrobat Reader.

⚠️ Warning: When scanning your passport or credit card, always check if personal data is saved in the file metadata. In the Gallery, click "Information"** and delete geotags if any.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions