How to Scan Documents and Convert Them to PDF Directly from WhatsApp

WhatsApp has over 2.96 billion users all over the world. Whether we like it or not, it has become a must-install app if you want to talk to your friends, family, and basically anyone. Small and large companies use it in their daily lives. And it is even often used to contact various specialists. Come on then. What works for everything. And that’s literally it, depending on the features it includes. Did you know that you can scan documents from whatsapp?

Whether you use WhatsApp in your free time or for work, the app and its business version have elements that make everyday tasks easier, such as document management. Without going into too much detail, you can send and receive images and documents through a conversation or group. What is very useful in communicating with clients or colleagues. But not only that. In addition to taking photos of paper documents, WhatsApp for iPhone allows you to directly scan documents, which will save you time when working with invoices, invoices, contracts or reports.

In previous articles, we’ve seen how easy it is to scan documents from the Apple Notes app, convert tons of paper to PDF using dedicated apps, and of course, scan documents without installing any app on iPhone and Android. Next step integrate this feature into WhatsAppan app you probably use every day. Let’s see how to do this right from your iPhone. And on Android, with a highly recommended app.

Scan documents from WhatsApp

In any chat, conversation or WhatsApp group, you have a button at your disposal with which you can share photos, your location on the map, contacts, participate in surveys and, in addition, share files and documents which you save on your mobile phone. On iPhone, when you press the + button and select Documentsyou have three options to choose from. You already know the first two: send files and documents or share photos and videos. But we are interested in the third, more recent option. Scan a document.

When you choose to scan documents from WhatsApp on iPhone, a different version of the application will open. Camera focused on this specific task. This is essentially the same version you’ll find in the app. Files when you click the drop down menu and then click Scan documents.

By default, this scanner integrated into WhatsApp in automatic mode. Very practical if you need to digitize many sheets or paper documents. If you touch Autoyou can switch to manual mode and thus take your time convert invoices and delivery notes into images digital. In manual mode, you will have to press the bottom button to “photograph” the document. And automatically, when the camera frames the document correctly, it will take a photo. Otherwise, you have two buttons to make the scanning go better: activate built-in flash and/or change settings color filters.

Edit, sort and convert to PDF

As you take pictures, or rather scan documents from WhatsApp, they will accumulate in the button Hold and in the thumbnail preview. When you’re done, tap Preview to edit images. If everything goes well, you won’t have to do anything. Just click on Did. But you can also trim the edges scanned images, rotate or delete them. And in the top right corner you can rescan from scratch.

When you’re done editing and you’re sure you’ve scanned what you wanted correctly, click Hold. All the pages you scanned, one by one, will become part of PDF document. So you can save it on your iPhone or share it via WhatsApp. Here’s the thing. To click send button you can include a message. And make sure the contact below receives this PDF correctly.

Once you send the PDF document, it will be saved in that WhatsApp conversation. Remember that you can view it whenever you want, forward it to other groups or chatsopen it and share it on other apps and finally, by clicking on the drop-down menu above, you can save a local copy in the application. Files. You can also print this out from there or protect the document with a password if you click Lock PDF.

In short, in minutes, you can scan documents from WhatsApp, convert them to PDF for easy online sharing, and finally share them in a WhatsApp chat or group. What will be of great help to you both in everyday life and in if you work from a mobile phone.

On Android, Google Files and WhatsApp

At the time of writing these lines This is not possible on Android Scan documents directly from WhatsApp. Yes, you can select an already scanned document, photo or anything else, but WhatsApp for Android does not integrate scanning function. However, all is not lost. As we saw in the previous article, the simplest and most effective way digitize paper using your mobile phone It uses the Google Files app. Depending on which mobile device you have in your hands, this application will be installed by default or not. Keep in mind that manufacturers such as Samsung or Xiaomi have their own file managers. And even on Android there is an application called Filesless complete than Files, despite the same name.

After installing Google Files, when you open it, you will see this very complete file manager. So much so that it combines two very practical buttons in the lower right corner. One for sharing files between Android devices and the one we are interested in now is button for scanning documents. Clicking on it will open the phone’s camera function, but focused on photo paper. By default it is included automatic mode. This means that when you find a square or rectangular object, you will frame it and take a photo of it. It’s quick and easy. If you don’t like the result, repeat as many times as necessary. And if you are not satisfied with the automatic mode, switch to manual by pressing Managementnear Automatic capture.

IN Preview You will see all the pictures, sheet by sheet. Once you’ve selected them, you’ll have a range of tools below to crop imageremove the borders, remove the image if it is disastrous, or apply filters that allow better reading this document. Scanning documents will not take you much time, even if you are not on WhatsApp. And when you’re done, click on Did and scanned images They will become PDF.

When you already have this PDF in the Google Files appyou just need to send it on WhatsApp. Or rather, via WhatsApp. To do this, open the PDF document, tap the drop-down menu and select WhatsApp. It will ask you which contact to send it to. Finally, you will see a screen where you can add a comment. Click on the button Send and the document will be sent to the selected contact or contacts via WhatsApp.