Scan Paper Documents into PDF: Free Scanning Software Guide

2025-05-09 Amanda J. Brook Senior Product Manager

Summary

Learn how to scan paper documents into PDF electronic files using practical free scanning software, making storage and retrieval more efficient in the digital age.

Table of contents

1. 5 free PDF file scanning software recommendations

• Recommendation 1: Advanced Scan to PDF Free scanning software
• Recommendation 2: Free Scan to PDF scanning software
• Recommendation 3: NAPS2 scanning software
• Recommendation 4: Scan2 PDF scanning software
• Recommendation 5: Quick Scan scanning software

2. How to convert PDF files into editable documents?

• 1. What is Renee PDF Aide?
• 2. How to use Renee PDF Aide to convert PDF files into editable files?

I. Recommended 5 Free PDF Scanning Software

Electronic files are highly versatile and convenient compared to traditional paper files, making them the optimal choice for content presentation, editing, transmission, and storage. To efficiently convert paper documents into electronic files, particularly PDFs, the utilization of scanning software is essential. Below, we have highlighted five software options available in the market that effectively scan paper documents and transform them into PDF files.

Recommendation 1: Advanced Scan to PDF Free scanning software

Advanced Scan to PDF Free is a widely-used PDF scanning software. It can scan paper documents into PDF format files, while preserving the original layout and typesetting. The software also supports encrypted protection for the generated PDF files, restricting unauthorized access. Additionally, it allows users to add digital signatures to the PDF files. The resulting PDF files can be emailed directly.

Recommendation 2: Free Scan to PDF scanning software

Free Scan to PDF is a free PDF scanning software for Windows. It allows users to scan paper documents into PDF files and perform various editing operations on the generated PDFs. These operations include changing font size , deleting pictures , moving text content , setting password protection , and adding electronic signatures .

Recommendation 3: NAPS2 scanning software

The NAPS2 software, short for Not Another PDEF 2 , is a powerful PDF scanning tool. It offers numerous useful functions, all of which are free to use. While the software’s interface may not be visually appealing and lacks initial operation guidance, these factors do not hinder its popularity. Moreover, its operation is straightforward. By simply configuring the scanning parameters, the software generates a corresponding PDF file based on the source file’s size, resolution, and other available parameters (i.e., the paper document). Once the scanning is complete, the PDF file is automatically saved to the designated folder.

Recommendation 4: Scan2 PDF scanning software

Scan2 PDF is a user-friendly and efficient scanning software. It easily converts paper documents into various electronic formats such as Word , TXT , and PDF . While the software offers limited editing capabilities, its practical functions make it valuable. Users can scan and merge multiple paper documents into a complete PDF file, albeit for a fee. Additionally, the software allows for rearranging and combining scanned PDF files, rotating pages, and importing and reorganizing PDF files from the local computer folder.

Recommendation 5: Quick Scan scanning software

Quick Scan is a PDF scanning software for Windows with a simple interface and fast scanning speed. It offers different color modes (gray, RGB, and black and white) for users to choose based on file quality and scanning speed. For instance, the RGB mode enhances PDF quality and font clarity, but it is slower compared to black and white mode .

Here are 5 practical PDF scanning software options that convert paper documents into electronic PDFs. Choose based on specific functions and page preferences. While file digitization improves storage efficiency, it lacks editing capabilities. Additionally, the quality of paper files directly affects PDF quality. For editing or converting PDFs to other formats, try downloading a professional tool like – Renee PDF Aide , which is equipped with advanced OCR technology, which can improve the text Recognition rate, retaining the content of the source file to a greater extent.

II. How to convert PDF files into editable documents?

If you want to convert PDF files into editable documents, just download Renee PDF Aide. One of the two major functions of this software is to support the conversion of PDF files into other formats.

1. What is Renee PDF Aide?

Renee PDF Aide is a versatile software that combines PDF file editing and format conversion. It utilizes advanced OCR technology to convert scanned PDFs into various formats such as Word , Excel , PowerPoint , Image , HTML , and TXT . You can choose to convert the entire document or specific pages at a fast speed of up to 80 pages per minute. The software offers easy operation and various functions including optimizing and converting specific pages, repairing damaged files, improving loading time for large files, splitting multi-page files, merging specified pages into one PDF, adjusting file display angle, encrypting/decrypting PDFs, and adding multi-form watermarks.

Renee PDF Aide supports converting various languages including English , French , German , Italian , Spanish , Portuguese , Chinese , Korean , Japanese , and more. Selecting the appropriate recognition language in OCR mode enhances character recognition accuracy. The software ensures high conversion efficiency, making it user-friendly even for beginners.

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2. How to use Renee PDF Aide to convert PDF files into editable files?

Renee PDF Aide has two functions: basic editing operations on PDF files and converting PDF format files into commonly used format files. Here’s how to use the format conversion function to convert PDF files into editable format files.

How to use the format conversion function of Renee PDF Aide?

Using Renee PDF Aide , convert PDF files to common formats like Word , Excel , PowerPoint , Image , HTML , and TXT . Select an editable format like Word , PowerPoint , or TXT based on your needs. The process is simple, as described below:

Step 1: Download and install Renee PDF Aide, select the “ Convert PDF ” option and enter.

Step 2: Enter the editing page and convert the PDF file to an editable format like Word/Excel/PowerPoint/TXT . Import the files into Renee PDF Aide using the "Add Files" button. Enable OCR to enhance text recognition accuracy during conversion.

tips Instructions for enabling OCR technology:

In Renee PDF Aide, enabling OCR technology includes two functions.

A. Recognize text in pictures or PDF scans. This option is suitable for PDF files or PDF scans generated from pictures, and the accuracy of text recognition can be further improved with the help of OCR technology.

B. Identify built-in fonts (to avoid garbled characters). This option is applicable to the situation where there are built-in fonts in the PDF source file, and it can avoid the garbled characters in the file after the format conversion is completed.

Step 3: After the operation is completed, click the “ Convert ” button on the right to start the command to convert the PDF file into an editable format file, which is very convenient and quick.

The comparison chart shows that using Renee PDF Aide’s OCR technology for format conversion yields better and more accurate results compared to not using OCR technology.

The above are the steps to convert PDF files into editable files using Renee PDF Aide’s OCR technology. The operation is simple. If you need to edit paper documents scanned into PDF files, Renee PDF Aide is recommended.

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