How to scan documents on Xiaomi Android smartphones: from standard tools to professional applications

Scanning documents through a smartphone has long replaced bulky MFPs, and Xiaomi owners (including the Redmi and POCO lines) get several built-in and third-party tools for this. However, not everyone knows that the quality of the scan depends not only on the camera resolution, but also on the correct settings of lighting, alignment and post-processing. In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods – from fast scanning through Google Drive to professional applications with OCR-recognition of text, and also reveal hidden MIUI functions that will improve the result even on budget models.

Xiaomi’s smartphone features feature the proprietary Scanner app (formerly Mi DocViewer), which is often ignored in favor of third-party solutions. Meanwhile, it supports automatic edge alignment, exports to PDF/JPG, and can even recognize text in 10+ languages. But there are nuances: for example, on devices with MIUI 14+, the processing algorithm has changed, and now for better results you need to manually adjust contrast.

1. Built-in scanner in MIUI: where to find and how to use

The proprietary Scanner app is pre-installed on most Xiaomi smartphones (starting with the MIUI 12). Its main advantage is the integration with the system: scans are automatically saved to the Documents/Scans folder, and when connected to the Mi Account are synchronized between devices.

• 📱 Open the app menu and search for “Scanner” (or “DocViewer” on older versions).
• 🔍 If the app is missing, check the Tools folder or install it through GetApps (the Xiaomi brand store).
• 📎 On some models (e.g., POCO X5 Pro), the scanner is hidden in the Camera → Modes → Documents.

The algorithm of the work:

1. Launch the app and point the camera at the document, and the system automatically highlights the boundaries with a green frame.
2. Press the capture button (or use the auto-start if the document is shaking).
3. Edit the scan: trim the edges, adjust the perspective, or apply the Black and White filter for better readability.
4. Save it to PDF (for multi-page documents) or JPG (for individual pages).

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If the scan turned out to be too dark, turn on the option Autocorrect lighting in the application settings - it automatically adjusts the exposure to the shooting conditions.

Limitations of the built-in scanner:

• ❌ No support for OCR (text recognition) in Russian in older versions MIUI (up to 13.5).
• ❌ The maximum scan resolution is 12 MP, even if the smartphone camera supports 48 MP.
• ❌ There is no batch processing function (scanning multiple documents in a row without stopping).

2. Scanning through Google Drive: an easy way to do without installing apps

If you need to quickly scan a document and save it to the cloud, Google Drive offers a built-in tool with a minimalist interface. The advantage of the method is that the scans are automatically uploaded to your Google account and accessible from any device.

1. Open the Google Drive app (if not, download it from the Play Market).
2. Press the + (create) → Scan.
3. You point the camera at the document. The system automatically finds the boundaries, but you can adjust them manually.
4. Click on the ✓ icon to save. The file will appear in your Drive's Scans folder.

Pros of the method:

• ✅ No need to install additional programs.
• ✅ Automatic upload to the cloud (15GB is available for free).
• ✅ Support for multi-page PDF.

Cons:

• ❌ Nonadvanced settings (e.g., manual perspective correction).
• ❌ The quality of the scan depends on the lighting — in dark conditions, the document can become blurry.

Make sure the document is on a flat surface.|

Turn off the power saving mode (it can reduce the quality of the camera)|

Check that the Disk settings include autoload photo/video |

Use natural light (avoid the glare of the lamps)-->

3. Professional applications: CamScanner, Adobe Scan and alternatives

Xiaomi’s built-in tools may not be enough to scan regularly (for work or study, for example), and third-party apps offer OCR, cloud storage, PDF editing, and even electronic signatures. Consider the top-3 solution:

How do you choose? If you want maximum functionality (for example, for digitizing books or contrats), CamScanner is optimal. For PDF and cloud services, Adobe Scan. For a budget solution without a subscription, Microsoft Lens.

4. Hidden MIUI chips to improve scan quality

Even Xiaomi’s budget smartphones (like the Redmi Note 12 or POCO M5) can do scans as well as flagships if you turn on hidden settings.

• 📸 Pro mode in camera: switch to manual mode (Camera → Pro) and set: ISO: 100–400 (less noise) Shutter speed: 1/125 or faster (to avoid blurring) White balance: Daylight (even if shooting under artificial light)
• 🔦 Additional lighting: Turn on the flashlight (swipe down → flashlight icon) and point it at an angle of 45° to the document to avoid glare.
• 📏 Perspective calibration: In the Scanner app, tap the 📐 icon after capture (alignment) and manually adjust the angles.

A critical nuance for models with a wide-angle camera (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra): when scanning, turn off automatic switching to an ultra-wide angle (Camera settings → Modes → Wide-angle camera → Off), otherwise the document will be distorted at the edges.

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Use PDF/A for long-term scan storage – it stores metadata and ensures compatibility with archival systems.

5. Scanning of multipage documents and books

To digitize books, magazines, or multi-page contracts, a regular scanner is not suitable — you need special modes.

1. Use a tripod or stand (such as the Xiaomi Mi Selfie Stick Tripod) to avoid camera jitter.
2. Enable the Scanner mode Packet scanning (located in the settings → Additional).
3. For books: press the page with a glass plate (for example, from the frame for the photo) - this will remove the curvature of the text from the root.
4. After scanning, use OCR (in CamScanner or Adobe Scan) to make the text stand out.

Challenges and solutions:

• ❓ Hand shadow: Scan in Timer mode (3-10 seconds delay).
• ❓ Text distortion at the back of a book: take an angled photo of the page and then straighten it up in the editor.
• ❓ Files that are too large PDF-: compress them via Smallpdf or ILovePDF.

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To scan your passport or ID, use the ID- card mode in CamScanner – it automatically crops the background and increases text contrast.

6.Saving and processing of scans: formats, compression, OCR

Formatting a scan is half the battle, so that a document takes up little space, is readable and can be sent, follow these rules:

File formats:

• 📄 PDF is a universal format for multi-page documents, which supports compression and metadata.
• 🖼️ JPG – Suitable for individual pages, but loses quality when editing.
• 📝 DOCX/TXT If you need an editable text (required) OCR).

Size optimization:

OCR- Recognition: If you want the text on the scan to be copyable and editable:

1. In CamScanner: Open the scan → Edit → OCR.
2. In Google Drive: Download PDF → PCM → Open with help → Google Documents.
3. For Russian text: use ABBYY FineScanner (recognizes Cyrillic more accurately than analogues).

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even the most experienced users make scanning errors that spoil the results, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

⚠️ Warning: If you scan a passport or bank documents, never save them to cloud services (like Google Drive or Yandex Disk) without encryption. Use local storage or password archives (7-Zip or WinRAR).

Problem 1: Blurred text

• 🔹 Cause: The trembling of the hands or automatic focusing was not working correctly.
• 🔹 Solution: Use Pro Mode in the camera and set manual focus (stick through the text on the screen).

Problem 2: Shadows from lamps

• 🔹 Cause: The light source is sideways or top.
• 🔹 Solution: Scan in natural light or use two light sources (e.g., a desk lamp + smartphone flashlight).

Problem 3: The distorted edges of the document

• 🔹 Reason: The camera is angled to the document.
• 🔹 Solution: Enable Auto-Rectification in the scanner settings or use applications with manual perspective correction (Adobe Scan).

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 14+, the built-in scanner defaults to save files to the Download/Scans folder, which syncs with Mi Cloud. If you scan sensitive data, turn off autoboot in your Xiaomi account settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions