How to choose the right scanner for your computer

• Scan high volumes of documents daily
• Tackle a variety of page formats
• Work reliably and efficiently with minimal employee intervention

One of the most common types of scanner for computers is the business machine that digitizes dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of documents in a day. It is now easier than ever to find a scanner with a small footprint to fit into your environment.

• Prioritize reliability as well as raw speed
• Be able to work through large batches with minimal intervention

Your document digitization device should accelerate your workflow, not cause a bottleneck. If you need to scan large quantities of documents on any given day and can’t afford to wait around for slow scans or to refill small automatic document feeder (ADF) chutes, you should prioritize a high speed scanner.

• Storing photographs that would otherwise decay
• Handling potentially fragile materials with care

Whether you’re a professional photographer or someone looking to preserve and share albums full of precious family moments, a photo scanner can be an invaluable tool. Scanning photos comes with some special considerations beyond standard printed documents, so here’s what to keep in mind.

• Capture works of art while minimizing physical handling
• Take high-resolution images that convey every detail

Two-dimensional art comes in many different forms, but there’s at least one constant: it’s all worth preserving and sharing. You can’t fit a stretched canvas through a scanner’s ADF chute. Thankfully, specialized art scanners make preserving work digitally while leaving the original in excellent condition a reality.

• You don’t have much space
• You prefer a clean, minimal working environment
• You’ll need to move the scanner frequently

Scanners don’t have to take up a whole countertop to be an effective and efficient part of your workflow — they don’t even need to dominate your desk. The eternal march of miniaturization means you can find features and quality in a scanner with a footprint that would have been impossible in years past.

• Easy to use
• Affordable
• Effective for numerous document types

The explosion in remote and hybrid work in the last few years has expanded our concept of who can work from where, and home office scanners will help you handle more business without ever stepping outside your front door.

• Avoid searching for custom drivers or utilities
• Make sure your scanner is compliant with all your preferred devices

Whether you’re on a Mac or a PC, you want to make sure your scanner works out of the box with no need for special drivers or other technical headaches. Cross-platform support could be a nightmare in years past, but it's fortunately a more common feature now.