CamScanner is a document scanning app from INTSIG that turns phone photos of paper pages into cleaned-up images and PDFs. It then lets you extract text, convert files and share them. It runs on Android, iOS and HarmonyOS, with desktop versions for Windows and macOS and a browser-based web app that syncs with the same account. Basic scanning, saving and sharing are free; a Premium subscription adds higher limits and several tools that free accounts do not get.
Capturing pages with the camera
CamScanner works from the phone camera. On the capture screen you choose how to capture pages. Single captures one page, Batch captures a run of pages that become one document, and Book mode photographs open books. Optional settings handle Auto Capture, which takes the shot once the page is steady, Auto Crop and HD resolution.
After capture, the app finds the page edges, removes the background around them, crops and straightens the image and corrects the perspective. A page shot at an angle then comes out as a flat rectangle. It also reduces shadows, glare, creases, stains, ink showing through from the back of the sheet, fingers covering the edge, and the moiré pattern that appears when photographing a screen. You can also reorder pages or retake a single page.
Special capture modes
Other capture modes aim at a specific result. Scan to Word and Scan to Excel send the photo straight into text or table conversion. Scan ID uses card templates to produce a formatted ID image, and Photo HD Restore improves old or faded photos.
Text recognition (OCR)
CamScanner can read the text in a scan or an imported image. You tap Extract Text or Word. You can then copy, edit, translate or save the result as a text file or Word document. Two engines are available. Local recognition runs on the device and works offline, but its dictionary is small and accuracy varies. Cloud OCR is more accurate, needs an internet connection and supports about 40 languages. Selecting no more than two languages at a time gives the best results.
Recognition works best on clear print on a flat, evenly lit page. CamScanner can read neat printed handwriting, but cursive and rushed notes are unreliable. Word output keeps the text and layout but not the original fonts and sizes. Table conversion to Excel works only for tables with visible ruled lines and for Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean text. Free accounts get a small number of OCR uses, while Premium raises the monthly allowance.
PDF conversion and page editing
CamScanner also works on existing documents, not only on new scans. It converts PDF files to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and JPG, and converts those formats back to PDF, using layout detection to place text and images in the output.
For editing PDFs, CamScanner can merge several files into one and split or extract pages. It can also delete, rotate and reorder pages, compress a file, add a watermark and annotate it. Protect PDF adds an opening password, so the recipient must enter it before viewing the document. You can also edit text inside images. Many of these tools are also available in the web app, which runs in a browser with nothing to install.
Signatures and ID collages
To sign a document, you either write your signature on white paper and scan it or import a JPG or PNG image of it. You then place it from the Edit or More menu. Apply to All Pages adds it to every page at once, and Premium users can save up to ten signature templates for reuse.
The Collage tool arranges several images on one page using templates. Its typical use is copying an ID card. You batch-capture the front and back, combine them in a collage and set the PDF page size to A4. This gives a single-page copy of both sides. Collages and ID scanning are Premium features.
AI tools in the mobile app
The CamScanner mobile app adds tools built on image analysis. AI photo translation translates text in a photo, and tamper detection checks whether a document image has been altered. CountCam counts repeated objects in a photo, Measure takes measurements with the camera, and Scrollshot joins a scrolling page into one long screenshot. Measure and Scrollshot are app-only tools.
Sync, sharing and accounts
When you sign in with the same CamScanner account on a phone, computer and the web app, documents back up to the cloud and appear on every device. You can share files by email, messaging apps such as WhatsApp, or as a link for large documents. Formats include PDF, Word, text, JPG and long-image form.
Free and Premium accounts
The free CamScanner account covers scanning, editing, saving, sharing and uploading. It has daily or one-time limits on OCR, Book mode and photo restoration, and it adds a watermark and ads. Premium removes the watermark and ads, and provides higher-quality scans, more cloud storage and folders. It also provides larger monthly quotas for OCR, Word and Excel conversion and photo restoration. It also unlocks signatures, collages, ID scanning and anti-theft watermarks.
