How to Scan Legal Size Paper on A4 Scanner
If your scanner uses an automatic document feeder, check its manual to make sure it can process documents up to 14 inches long (if you don`t have the manual, check the model number on a sticker on the back of the device and enter it into the search engine of your choice). If your scanner uses a flat screen, place the document on the tray and make sure it fits the surface of the glass scanner without overlapping the edges. If you need to scan a lot of documents, it may be a good idea to invest in a legal-sized scanner that can scan documents in a single pass. Scanning a document twice and reassembling it only takes a few minutes, but when you have to scan hundreds of documents over the course of a year, it becomes a very time-consuming process. In this article, you will learn how to scan a legal-sized document, what types of scanners are best suited for the task, and which scanner we recommend for editing documents in legal format. Before we get into the details, let`s briefly define some general terms that we`ll use in the rest of this article. The answer to scanning paper to legal size is in many cases the same as scanning a document from a printer to a computer. Many modern scanners are able to scan legal-format documents as quickly and easily as letter-sized documents, often requiring no more special intervention than a simple push of a button. Since both types of documents have the same width, it only takes a little longer for the scanner to process the extra length.
If you scan legal-sized documents on an HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 printer or most other OfficeJet Pro printers with a scanning feature, you can use the included HP scanning software to select the document size. Select the “Legal” or “Entire Scan Area” size from the “Scan Size” menu. If this is not done with the default scanner settings, you can set the correct setting using the scanner software on your computer. The steps to do this vary. On some Canon scanners, you can select the “Long Document Mode” in the advanced settings. On a Brother scanner, look for the “Long Paper” option in the custom settings. If you use legal paper for legal purposes, you know how important it is that every letter and image is perfectly reproduced. A blurry or distorted image can have a real impact on business operations, so make sure your scanner can handle scans properly the first time, with an optical resolution of at least 300 dpi and built-in image enhancement features.
In the scanning software, you can select “Legal size” or “Total scan area for scan size? An example is shown below: Open your scanning software and make sure it is configured to export scans in an image format such as JPG and not PDF. Load the document into the scanner so that the top is completely scanned. Don`t worry about the bottom part of the document during this passage. Scan the document as usual and save the image. Flip the document and scan it again to capture the bottom half in a second image file. If your flatbed scanner is too short for a full 14-inch document, you can scan the page twice, then stitch the two images together to retrieve the original document. For a legally sized document, the easiest way is to scan the top, then the bottom. Most of the text in the middle of the document overlaps, but that`s fine. Whether you use legal-sized paper for legal purposes or to keep records, you may end up with the general question of how to scan legal-sized paper. While it`s convenient to store as much information as possible on a single page, the extra length can be an additional hurdle if you`re typically just scanning letter-sized documents. Now that you know how to scan paper in legal format, whether or not you have a scanner designed specifically for the job, here are some qualities that will give you the best possible experience the next time you buy a document scanner. To scan legally sized pages on scanners with tightening plates smaller than the allowed page size, you must use an automatic document feeder (ADF).
How to scan paper in legal format with your current scanner Open the first scanned image, select it (Ctrl+A) and copy it (Ctrl+C). Click the blank image you just created and paste it into that image (Ctrl + V). Drag the image or use the arrow keys to position it at the top of the canvas. Next, rotate the second image 180 degrees and copy and paste it to the bottom of the canvas. Now let`s start scanning your documents in legal size. Many flatbed scanners do not have a contact surface (glass scanning area) large enough for a legal site. You can only scan documents in letter size or smaller with your scanner. David Weedmark is a published author who has been advising companies in technology, media and marketing for over 20 years and teaches computer science at Algonquin College.
He is currently the owner of Mad Hat Labs, a web design and media consulting firm. David has written hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines and websites, including American Express, Samsung, Re/Max and the New York Times About.com. If your scanner doesn`t natively support legal-sized documents, you still have a few options. If you have a two-sided scanner, your scanning software may include a feature that allows you to fold a larger document in half, run it on the device, and then automatically merge the images received on both sides. Even if you don`t have a two-sided scanner, you can fold the document, scan both pages manually, and then use free image editing software like Paint.NET to piece together the two images into one. If your scanner can capture paper in legal format, scanning the document should simply be a matter of adjusting the settings. However, if you have a flatbed scanner that`s only 11 inches long, you can scan it twice and use a photo editor to splice the document together. Did you know? You don`t have to leave behind the simple and effective scanning while traveling.
Check out our guide to portable document scanners to find the best model for you. Even before the computer replaced the typewriter as the standard office tool, letter-size paper was still the most common document format. The exception, of course, are legal documents, including contracts, loan applications and other legal forms. At 8.5 x 14 inches, legal documents are the same width, but slightly longer than 8.5 x 11 letter paper. I`m trying to scan a legal-sized document in the tray at the top, but it only appears as a letter on my computer and cuts off the bottom of the page. How can I change the settings so that the entire legal document is scanned? In our opinion, the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1600 is the best answer for anyone wondering how to scan paper in legal format. The maximum document size is 8.5 x 14 inches in normal scan mode, while the manual scan mode can handle sheets up to 11 x 17 inches. The iX1600`s 600 DPI optical power allows it to accurately scan every letter and image, and its adjustable guides enable easy and reliable capture of papers, maps and more. These are just a few of the many reasons why we are proud to call it the flagship of the ScanSnap family. Click here to learn more and purchase the full range of ScanSnap scanners. Since legal documents are the same width as letter-sized paper, most scanners can scan them.
In most cases, you just need to place the paper in the scanner and scan it as a letter-sized document. The scanner should automatically detect the size of the document and scan it in full size.