How to scan a document to email

You do not need a fancy scanner. Your phone can scan a document into a clean PDF in under a minute, and most printers can email a scan directly once they are set up.

Updated October 17, 2026 · 5 min read

Scan to email with an iPhone or iPad

1. Open the Notes app and start a new note.
2. Tap the paperclip (attachment) button, then Scan Documents. (On some versions it is under the camera or More button.)
3. Hold the phone over the page. It captures automatically, or tap the shutter button.
4. Drag the corners to fit the page if needed, add more pages, then tap Save or Done.
5. Open the scan, tap the Share button, choose Mail, add the address and send.

You can also scan from the Files app: tap More (…), then Scan Documents, and choose where to save it. Then attach it to an email like any file.

Scan to email with an Android phone

1. Open the Google Drive app.
2. Tap the camera icon at the bottom right.
3. Take a photo of the page. Crop, apply a filter or tap + to add more pages.
4. Save it as a PDF.
5. In Drive, tap the three dots next to the file, then Share or Send a copy, and choose Gmail.

Some phones can also scan from the camera app or the Files by Google app.

Scan on Windows, then email it

1. Put the page on the scanner.
2. Open the Windows Scan app. If you do not have it, install it free from the Microsoft Store.
3. Pick your scanner, choose Flatbed or Feeder, and a file type.
4. Click Scan. Files save to Pictures › Scans by default.
5. In your email, click the paper clip and attach the file from that folder.

Scan on a Mac, then email it

1. Open Preview and choose File › Import from Scanner, or go to System Settings › Printers & Scanners and click Open Scanner.
2. Choose the page size, color and where to save, then click Scan.
3. Attach the file to a new email.

Shortcut with an iPhone: in Mail on your Mac, Control-click in a new message and choose Insert from iPhone or iPad › Scan Documents. Scan with your phone and the PDF drops straight into the email. Both devices need the same Apple Account, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.

Use your printer's Scan to Email button

Many printers can email a scan directly, but someone has to set up the outgoing mail settings once, usually in the printer's web page. Type the printer's IP address into a web browser to open it:

• HP: Embedded Web Server › Scan/Digital Send › E-mail Setup.
• Brother: Web Based Management › Scan to E-mail Server.
• Epson: Web Config › Network › Email Server.
• Canon: Remote UI, in the scan or send settings.

You will need the mail server details from your email provider:

Gmail app passwords only appear after you turn on 2-Step Verification. Create one at your Google Account under Security, then type it into the printer instead of your regular password.

Microsoft 365 warning: Microsoft is retiring basic username-and-password sign-in for SMTP. As of its January 2026 update, it will be switched off by default for existing organizations in late December 2026. After that, older printers that cannot use modern sign-in (OAuth) stop sending through Microsoft 365 unless an administrator turns basic sign-in back on, which Microsoft allows until a final removal date, which Microsoft plans to announce in the second half of 2027. Ask your IT person about a relay, or use the "scan to computer, then attach" method instead.

Which file type to use

If it does not work: quick fixes

Keep personal documents safe

• Double-check the address before sending ID, tax or medical papers.
• Delete the scan from your phone or the printer's memory afterwards if you do not need it.
• For very sensitive documents, use an encrypted email or a secure upload link instead. See encrypted email in Gmail or in Outlook.

Tips for a clean scan

• Save as PDF for documents and JPG only for photos.
• Use good light and a dark background so the corners are easy to find.
• Name the file clearly: Lease-Signed-2026.pdf, not "Scan 3".
• Gmail and Outlook.com attachments are limited to 25 MB. For bigger files they offer a Google Drive or OneDrive link.

Steps checked against the official help pages in October 2026. Menus move from time to time; if yours looks different, tell us.

Questions people ask

Can I scan to email without a scanner?

Yes. Your phone does it: Notes on iPhone, or the camera icon in Google Drive on Android.

Can I scan straight into Gmail?

Not from inside Gmail. Scan with your phone or computer first, then attach the PDF, or share it from the Notes or Drive app straight into a Gmail message.

What resolution should I scan at?

For documents, 200 to 300 dpi is plenty and keeps the file small. Use higher settings only for photos you want to print.

Why does my printer say "authentication failed" with Gmail?

Gmail will not accept your normal password from a printer. Turn on 2-Step Verification, create an app password, and enter that instead.

How do I scan multiple pages into one PDF?

In iPhone Notes or Google Drive, keep scanning before you tap Save. Each page is added to the same PDF.

Sending one email to a whole list? Check the addresses first with Veml, which removes bad and risky emails before you hit send. (Veml and EmailNa have the same owner.)