Scan to PDF (using your phone)
Scan paper with your smartphone and finish the PDF on your computer Scan paper with your phone via QR, review on desktop, download a multi-page PDF.
Step 1: Connect with smartphone
Generating QR code...
Use your smartphone's camera to scan this QR code.
Step 2: Scan status
Waiting for scans…
Scan to PDF — capture paper with your phone, finish on desktop
Scan to PDF is not “upload a file you already have.” It turns physical paper into a PDF by using your smartphone camera while your computer shows a live session. Scan a QR code on the desktop page, photograph pages on the phone, watch them arrive in the browser, crop if needed, then download one multi-page PDF.
That workflow is different from JPG to PDF (images already on the computer) and from Merge (existing PDFs). Here the phone is the capture device; the desktop is the control room.
The QR bridge, step by step
Open Scan to PDF on your computer
The page creates a short-lived session and shows a QR code. No app store install — your phone’s camera or browser is enough.
Scan the code on your phone
The QR opens a mobile capture page tied to that session. When the desktop shows “connected,” you can shoot or pick photos.
Capture pages, then finish
Each shot shows up in the desktop counter. Tap finish, optionally crop margins, and download pdflaunch-scanned.pdf.
Why phone-to-desktop scanning exists
No flatbed required
Hotels, classrooms, and home offices rarely have a scanner. A phone camera plus this bridge covers receipts, IDs, homework, and signed forms.
Desktop for review
Small phone screens are great for shooting, poor for checking alignment. Pages land on the larger display before you commit to a PDF.
Multi-page sessions
Shoot page 1, page 2, page 3… The session keeps them together so you download one document instead of a camera-roll mess.
Crop before export
After capture you can trim margins on all pages or the current page so desks and thumbs are less visible in the final PDF.
Paper people digitize this way
After download: Compress for email limits, OCR for searchable text, or Organize if a page landed upside down.
Scan to PDF vs JPG to PDF vs a scanner app
How the scan session handles your photos
Honest about the bridge — pages must cross the network to reach your desktop tab
- Short-lived session: each QR session is created with an expiration window of about 30 minutes.
- Tokenized URL: the mobile page is tied to a long random token, not your account (no login required).
- Temporary storage: page images sit in a session folder so the desktop can poll and assemble the PDF; expired sessions are cleaned up.
- HTTPS: capture and transfer use encrypted transport on pdflaunch.com.
Scan to PDF FAQ
How do I scan a document to PDF with my phone?
Open this page on your computer, scan the on-screen QR code with your phone, photograph each page, then finish and download the PDF from the desktop browser.
Do I need to install an app?
No. The QR opens a mobile web page for capture. Use your camera app to scan the code, then follow the on-phone prompts.
Why isn’t my phone connecting?
Generate a fresh QR if the session expired, confirm both devices are online, and open the link in the phone browser (not only a preview thumbnail). Sessions last about 30 minutes.
Can I scan multiple pages into one PDF?
Yes. Capture as many pages as you need in the same session. They are assembled into a single multi-page PDF when you finish.
Can I crop after scanning?
Yes. After pages arrive you can crop all pages or only the current page before downloading.
Is this the same as JPG to PDF?
No. JPG to PDF converts image files you already have. Scan to PDF is a live capture workflow from phone to desktop via QR.
Are my scan photos stored forever?
No. Images are kept for the active session so your desktop can build the PDF. Sessions expire (about 30 minutes) and expired session data is cleaned up.
Will the PDF be searchable?
Scans start as images inside a PDF. For selectable text, run OCR PDF after you download.
What if a page is upside down?
Download first, then fix orientation with Rotate PDF or Organize PDF.
Do I need an account?
No. Create a session, scan, and download without registering.