The Google Drive Android app can scan paper documents into files saved to Drive. Review the image, page order, output format, and destination before saving, especially when the scan contains personal information or serves as an important record.
Capture a readable document
Open Drive in the intended account and use the Camera scan action. Place the document in clear, even light and point the camera at it. The visible outline indicates the proposed crop.
Use the available Manual or Auto capture mode as appropriate. Keep the paper steady and avoid shadows or fingers obscuring text. A sharp image is more useful than trying to repair missing information after capture.
Review and build the file
Inspect the scan and use Crop and Rotate, Filter, Retake, or other supported review tools. Add further pages when needed and confirm that their order matches the original. Do not use cleaning tools to remove actual content from a record.
After Done, give the file a meaningful name. Google’s current Android instructions offer PDF or JPG output; choose PDF when the task requires a PDF document. Select the intended Location before saving.
Verify the saved result
Open the resulting Drive file and inspect every required page. Check edges, small print, dates, amounts, and signatures against the paper. Searchable text or OCR is not proof that every character was recognized correctly. Review destination sharing before storing confidential scans in a shared folder. Keep the paper or another required original under the relevant retention rules; a successful scan does not automatically establish legal equivalence, authenticity, or permission to destroy the physical document.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.