How to scan through Xiaomi phone: from built-in features to pros

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones have long since ceased to be just communication devices, becoming powerful pocket offices. Device owners often face the need to quickly convert a paper document to a digital format, and the built-in tools of the MIUI or HyperOS shell allow you to do this without installing excess software. The process of scanning through the camera has become so optimized that the quality of the final image often exceeds the results of old stationary scanners.

But many users don’t even realize that the standard Camera or Gallery app already contains hidden text and document processing algorithms. You don’t have to search for complex programs on Google Play if you just need to save a copy of your passport, check or contract. You just need to know where the switches are and how to set the focus to get a perfectly flat black and white image.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to digitize documents, from native system functions to advanced methods for those who want to get the best quality. We will look at the nuances of working with text, spreadsheets and even handwritten notes, so that your phone becomes a universal scanner in any situation.

Use of the built-in Documents mode in the Camera app

The fastest way to get a good copy of paper is to use a specialized mode in a standard application. In new versions of the MIUI shell, Xiaomi engineers have implemented smart boundary recognition that automatically trims the excess and aligns the perspective. You don't have to keep the phone perfectly flat: the software will correct the distortion itself.

To activate this feature, open the Camera app and select the "More" tab in the bottom menu. Among the many effects and modes, look for Documents. The AI algorithm will instantly identify a piece of paper against a contrasting background and prompt you to take a picture. Once you press the descent button, the system will automatically apply filters that remove shadows and increase text contrast.

⚠️ Attention: for the correct operation of automatic edge cutting, make sure that the document is on a background contrasting in color with paper (for example, a dark table for white sheet).

If the automatization is wrong and you've captured extra objects, you can manually adjust the framing frame immediately after the shot. You can move the corner markers with your finger to match the boundaries of the sheet perfectly, and after saving, the image is placed in the Documents album inside the gallery, where further editing is available.

• 📸 Automatic alignment of perspective even when shooting at an angle.
• 🎨 Use of filters "C/B", "Increase contrast" and "Clear background" in one click.
• ⚡ Quick access via camera widget or sidebar.
• 📄 Ability to scan multi-page documents in one PDF-file.

The batch scan feature is particularly noteworthy: Documents Mode often offers a page addition option, allowing you to scan a whole contract of 10-20 sheets and save it as a single file, which is critical for students and office workers who need to send documents by email.

Scanning through Google Lens and Google Photos

For users who prefer the Google ecosystem, Google Lens offers perhaps the most powerful text recognition (OCR) functionality available directly from the Google Search widget on the desktop or through the Google Photos app, and the main advantage here is not just creating a picture, but the ability to interact with text in the image.

When you run Google Lens, point the camera at the text, the system will highlight areas with letters in blue, you can select a specific paragraph, copy it to the clipboard, translate it into another language or listen aloud. To scan documents, click the "Text" or "Document" button, and then take a picture, the result will be processed by Google servers with the highest accuracy.

The way to function: Google Widget -> Camera icon (right in the search bar) -> Text or Home Mode

Google Photos also has a feature that can be used to take pictures that you've already taken, open a photo of a document, click the "Lens" or "Text" button at the bottom of the screen, analyze the image and allow you to highlight the text, which saves you if you forgot to turn on scan mode at the time of shooting and took a normal photo.

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Use Google Lens to scan handwriting – Google’s algorithms often do better handwriting than standard Xiaomi scanners.

Processing quality depends on the lighting and clarity of the original. If the text on a document is printed in fine print or has low contrast, Google Lens can offer improved readability, and there is also a "Copy from Computer" feature available, which allows you to synchronize the clipboard between your phone and your PC if they are on the same network.

Configuring quality parameters and preservation formats

The quality of the final file depends on the resolution settings and compression format. In standard Xiaomi applications, the default balance between the quality and the size of the file, but for archival documents, you better choose the maximum settings. Go to the camera settings (cog in the corner) and find the section on saving documents.

So, you need to look at the format of the save, and for text documents that don't require color illustrations, the best choice is the monochrome mode, which reduces the file size by a few times and makes the text more readable on the screen, and if you want color graphics or prints, choose the JPEG format with minimal compression or PNG for loss of quality.

Don't forget the lighting. Even the best smartphone camera can't scan a document at dusk without digital noise. Try to use daylight or a bright desk lamp that's angled to avoid glare on the glossy surface of the paper.

Third-party applications: when the regular functions are not enough

Despite the power of embedded tools, specific features such as table recognition, batch processing of hundreds of pages, or integration with enterprise-grade cloud storage are sometimes required, with specialized applications from Google Play coming to the rescue, with Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens and Tiny Scanner remaining market leaders.

Adobe Scan stands out for its excellent image cleanup quality and automatic boundary determination even against a complex background. PDF-It sends files to the Adobe Document Cloud, which is the perfect choice for anyone who works with the Adobe ecosystem, and it can automatically recognize business cards and save contacts to the phone book.

⚠️ Note: many free versions of scanners add watermarks to documents or have page limits.

Microsoft Lens is indispensable for office workers using OneNote or Word. The unique feature of this application is the ability to scan boards and diagrams, straightening them, and convert the image of the table immediately into an editable Excel file. The accuracy of recognizing the structure of the table here is one of the best on the market.

• 🚀 Convert images to editable text (Word) and tables (Excel).
• ☁️ Automatic sync with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive.
• 🔒 Password protection of documents and encryption.
• 📑 Creating multi-page PDF signable.

If you scan documents regularly, it makes sense to install one of these apps and set up a quick start shortcut.Some of them let you run the scanning camera directly from a locked screen or through widgets, saving precious seconds.

Creating PDF and working with multipage documents

JPEG single images are easy to view in a gallery, but for official correspondence and archiving, the de facto standard is the PDF format. Xiaomi has a built-in ability to combine multiple photos into a single document, but it is often hidden in the print menu or create collages. It is more convenient to use the Scanner mode in the Quick Action menu.

To create a multi-page file, start scanning the first page. After saving, don't go to the gallery, but look for the Add button or + symbol in the scanner interface. After sequentially shooting all the pages of the contract or book, you can then select the order to follow, delete the unsuccessful duplicates, and click Save as PDF.

When saving to PDF, it is important to adjust the page size correctly. Choose the A4 format, even if the original is smaller, so that the document looks standard when printing. PDF compression option is also available, which reduces the weight of the file by reducing the quality of the images inside, which is useful for sending through messengers with a limit on the file size.

Tip: Use a tripod for long documents. Trembling hands will cause the edges of the pages to "walk" from frame to frame, and the final PDF will be difficult to read.

After the creation PDF-You can open it in any reader, add an electronic signature, highlight important places with a marker and send it to the recipient. MIUI allows you to perform basic operations: turning pages, removing excess and changing the order of the sequence.

Elimination: glare, shadows and curved lines

Even with smart algorithms, users often face quality problems, the most common being the glare of the lamps on the glossy surface of a document or lamination. To avoid this, change the angle of the phone relative to the light source. Never use a flash when scanning documents in a glossy cover, it will create a white spot in the center.

The curved line problem is when you take pages from books that are not flat, and this is where the straighten function in the gallery editor helps, highlight the area of text and apply perspective correction, and if the curve is strong, try smoothing the page with your hand (if it's not a valuable instance) or pressing it with transparent glass.

Shadows from the phone itself are another scourge of mobile scanning. Raise the phone higher or use side lighting. If shadows remain, select Remove Shadows or Magic mode in the scan filter settings, which will programmatically illuminate darkened areas.

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The perfect scan is obtained when combined: diffused daylight + Documents mode + tripod for fixing height.

If the text is still blurry, check the lens' purity. Fat finger marks are the main cause of low contrast and soapiness of the image. Rub the camera with a soft cloth before each scan session.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions