How to make a document scan on Xiaomi Redmi 9: 5 proven ways

Scan documents with a smartphone has long been a common alternative to bulky MFPs. Xiaomi Redmi 9, despite the budget price category, copes with this task perfectly - thanks to a high-quality main camera at 13 MP and built-in MIUI tools. However, many users still do not know that it is not necessary to install third-party applications like CamScanner or Adobe Scan to scan.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to create a document scan on Redmi 9 – from the simplest (via Notes) to professional (with manual exposure setting in Google Drive). MIUI Scanner, which automatically aligns perspective and improves readability even when shooting at an angle, will also help you avoid some of the most common mistakes: blurring, glare, and distortion of the edges of a document.

1. Scanned through the standard Notes app (MIUI Notes)

The fastest way to scan a document is to use the built-in Notes app (MIUI Notes. It is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and does not require additional downloads. The scanning function here is integrated directly into the new note creation interface.

To make a scan:

1. Open the Notes app (yellow notebook icon).
2. Click on the + icon in the lower right corner to create a new note.
3. In the toolbar, tap the Scan icon (a document with a camera is depicted).
4. Point the camera at the document – the application automatically recognizes the boundaries and takes a picture.
5. If necessary, trim the edges and press Ready.

Advantages of this method:

• 🔹 Instant saving to the Mi Account cloud (if synchronization is enabled).
• 🔹 Automatic perspective alignment (removes distortion from angle shooting).
• 🔹 Ability to add multiple pages to a single scan.

⚠️ Note: If a document with small text (for example, a contract or a check), turn on the camera settings mode HDR To do this, swipe up the camera interface before scanning and activate the option.

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To speed up the process, place the document on a dark surface (for example, a table with a black tablecloth) in advance, which will help the algorithm to more accurately determine the boundaries of the sheet.

2.Using MIUI Scanner - Hidden Firmware Function

Few people know, but MIUI has a separate system application called Scanner that works independently of Notes, and it offers more scanning settings, including manual color and contrast adjustments, and you'll find it on all apps' menus (the blue scanner icon).

Step-by-step:

1. Open Scanner from the app menu.
2. Place the document in the frame - the application will highlight the detected boundaries with a green outline.
3. Press the shutter button (or use a timer to shoot without shaking your hands).
4. In the editor, select one of the modes: Document for high contrast black and white scans; Photo for color (suitable for ID scanning); OCR mode for copying.

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MIUI Scanner supports batch scanning, which allows you to shoot multiple pages and then combine them into a single PDF, which is convenient for multi-page documents like a passport or diploma.

⚠️ Note: If after scanning in MIUI Scanner's document is too dark, so you can zoom in on the exposure before you shoot it. To do that, tap the screen and move the brightness slider to the right.

3. scan of the document via Google Drive (with automatic processing)

If you're a Google user, Google Drive scanning is the best solution, and it not only creates quality scans, but it also stores them in the cloud, allowing them to be accessed from any device, and Google's algorithms automatically improve text clarity and remove shadows.

How to scan:

1. Open the Google Drive app on your Redmi 9.
2. Click on the + icon in the lower right corner and select Scan.
3. Point the camera at the document. Drive will automatically find the boundaries — if the outline does not appear, manually press the down button.
4. Edit the scan: 🔸 Pruning - adjust the boundaries. 🔸 Color filter – choose Black and White for documents or Color for photos. 🔸 Turning – if the document is skewed.

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The main advantage of Google Drive is integration with other services, for example, a scanned document can be immediately opened in Google Docs for editing or sent by mail via Gmail without downloading.

Lighting |Smooth surface |Clean camera |HDR disabled (if small text document)

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Third-party applications: when additional functions are needed

In most cases, standard tools MIUI Google is good enough for high-quality scanning, but if you want advanced features like mass processing, cloud storage with encryption or advanced storage. OCR — You should look at specialized applications.-3 Verified options for Xiaomi Redmi 9:

• 📄 CamScanner is a market leader with Smart Cropping and support for electronic signatures.The free version adds watermarks.
• 📄 Adobe Scan is ideal for working with PDF: It allows you to combine files, add comments and export to Adobe Acrobat.
• 📄 Microsoft Lens – optimized for office documents, integrates with OneDrive and Word.

When choosing an application, pay attention to:

• 🔹 Size APK — Redmi 9 with 64 GB of memory does not install heavy programs.
• 🔹 Presence OCR — If you need a search for the text in PDF.
• 🔹 Cloud storage – convenient for backup.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party scanners, opt out of permissions to access contacts or SMS — This data is not needed to scan documents. In Android settings (Applications) → Permissions: Check what rights the program requests.

5 Manual scanning through camera: for maximum control

If you want perfect quality (for example, for scanning photos or printing documents), it is better to use the main camera Redmi 9 in manual mode.

Instructions:

1. Open the standard Camera app.
2. Switch to Pro mode (or Manual mode in some versions of MIUI).
3. Set up the parameters: 🔸 ISO — set up 100–200 noise-free. 🔸 Excerpt — 1/125 or shorter to avoid blurring. 🔸 White Balance – Select Daylight (if scanning with a lamp, use an incandescent lamp).

Take a picture while holding the phone parallel to the document (use the level in the camera interface).

Google Photo

You can use 48MP mode to improve clarity (if available in the camera settings), but remember that these files will take up more space, up to 10-15MB per scan.

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Manual camera mode gives a better result for scanning color documents (such as diplomas or certificates), but requires more time to set up.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of scanning method depends on your tasks. Here is a quick comparison:

For most Xiaomi Redmi 9 users, MIUI Scanner is the best solution, offering a balance between quality and convenience. If syncing with the cloud is important, choose Google Drive. Notes app will be the best option for rare scans.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with modern scanning algorithms, users often face problems, and here are the most common errors and ways to solve them:

• 📛 Blurred text — usually caused by hand tremors or incorrect focusing. Solution: Use a delay timer (3 seconds) in the camera app. Plug your elbows against a table or use a stand.
• 💡 The glare from the lamp is when you shoot in direct light. Solution: Scan in natural light (near the window). Use two light sources from different sides.
• 📏 Distorted edges of the document - if the scan is a barrel or a pillow. Solution: Enable distortion correction (if available) in the camera settings. Keep the phone strictly perpendicular to the document.

Another common problem is that scans are too dark, which happens when a document is on a dark surface, so that the camera can balance the exposure properly, put the sheet on a contrasting background (for example, a white sheet of paper under the document).

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If you scan your passport or hologram ID, turn off the flash, which creates glare on the security elements.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions