How to scan a document to Word with your phone
- Scan the page. Use your phone camera, the scan function of your notes app or a flatbed scanner. Keep all four corners in the frame.
- Upload the scan. Choose the JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC or one-page PDF above, up to 5 MB.
- Convert it. OCR reads the page and writes it into a Word file, with headings, lists and tables where they are on paper.
- Open it in Word. Edit, copy and save it like any document you typed yourself.
Why doesn't Word turn my scan into text?
Inserting a scan into Word gives you a picture of the page, not text. Microsoft's own route is to scan the document as a PDF and open that PDF in Word, which then tries to import the text[3]. Microsoft also says that handwritten text is seldom recognized this way[3].
For years Microsoft pointed people to its free Lens app, which saved a phone scan straight into Word[3]. Microsoft retired Lens from iOS and Android starting January 9, 2026, and Lens is no longer supported after February 9, 2026[1][2]. The box on this page does the same job in any browser, with nothing to install.
Ways to scan text into Word
| Option | What you scan with | Handwriting | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word, File, Open on a scanned PDF | A scanner's own software, saved as PDF[3] | Seldom recognized, says Microsoft[3] | A Word file, as close to the PDF as Word manages[3] |
| OneNote, Copy Text from Picture | A picture inserted into OneNote[4] | Not stated on Microsoft's page | Text to paste into Word or Outlook[4] |
| Google Drive, Open with Google Docs | A PDF or photo of 2 MB or smaller[5] | Not stated on Google's page | A Google Doc. Lists and tables are not likely to be detected[5] |
| LoreAI | Any phone photo or scan, in the browser | Read | An editable Word file with lists and tables |
What comes through when you scan a document to Word
- Headings
- Come back as Word headings
- Bullet and numbered lists
- Come back as Word lists
- Tables
- Come back as Word tables, cell by cell
- Names, dates and numbers
- Stay exactly as written
- Handwriting
- Read and typed out, from class notes to filled in forms
- Stamps and seals
- Stay in place where they sit on the paper
Students use it for assignments, worksheets and lecture handouts. Offices use it for letters, contracts and forms that only exist on paper. For notes written by hand, read how to digitize handwritten notes.
Scan a document of several pages to Word
Put the pages into one PDF with your phone's scan function, so they stay in order. Then upload the PDF to the LoreAI app, which reads every page and returns one Word file. Your first document is free, up to 3 pages and 3 MB.
If the document is in another language, the app can translate it into one of 105 languages in the same step. Already have a PDF? Read OCR PDF to Word.
Questions people ask
How do I scan a document into Word for free?
Photograph or scan the page, upload it to the box on this page and download the Word file. One page is free with no account.
Can I still use Microsoft Lens to scan to Word?
Does it work with handwritten pages?
Yes. Handwriting is read and typed out in the Word file, together with any printed text on the page.
Can I scan text to Word from my phone?
Yes. Open this page in your phone's browser, take the photo when it asks for a file and download the .docx.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Microsoft Lens for iOS, accessed November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Support: Microsoft Lens for Android, accessed November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Support: Insert scanned text or images into Word, accessed November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Support: Copy text from pictures and file printouts using OCR in OneNote, accessed November 5, 2026
- Google Drive Help: Convert PDF and photo files to text, accessed November 5, 2026
By Matt Mountain ·