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By , IT support technician

Quick Answer

Place your document face up in the automatic feeder, tap the Scan or Email button on the touchscreen, enter your email address (or insert a USB drive), and press Start.

How to Scan a Document to PDF or Email from a Network Copier ​

Applies to: Office multifunction printers/copiers (HP, Canon, Ricoh, Xerox, Brother, Epson)
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-07-10

Summary ​

This guide shows you how to scan a paper document and send it as a PDF — either to your email inbox or to a USB drive — using the office copier. The exact screen layout varies by brand, but the overall workflow is the same on every modern multifunction printer.

Prerequisites ​

  • Access to a network-connected office copier or multifunction printer (MFP)
  • Your work email address (for scan-to-email)
  • A USB flash drive (for scan-to-USB, if your copier supports it)

Instructions ​

1. Place Your Document ​

  1. For single pages or photos: Lift the copier lid and place the document face-down on the glass, aligned with the corner guides (usually top-left).
  2. For multi-page documents: Load the pages face-up into the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) — the tray on top of the copier. Adjust the paper guides so they touch the edges of the stack.

TIP

The ADF scans pages in order from top to bottom. Place page 1 on top of the stack. If your document has staples or sticky notes, remove them first to avoid jams.

2. Scan to Email ​

This sends the scanned document directly to your email inbox as a PDF attachment.

  1. On the copier's touchscreen, tap Scan (or Scan to Email).
  2. Enter your work email address in the To field. Some copiers let you search an address book — look for your name.
  3. Optionally, add a Subject line (like "Scanned Contract 07-10") so you can find it in your inbox.
  4. Choose the file format. Select PDF for most documents. Some copiers also offer JPEG (for photos) or TIFF.
  5. Tap Start, Send, or the green button to begin scanning.
  6. If you used the ADF, the copier feeds each page automatically. If you used the glass, the copier may ask "Next page?" — place the next page and tap Yes, or tap No / Done when finished.
  7. Check your email inbox for the scanned document within 1–2 minutes.

3. Scan to USB Drive ​

Use this method if your copier supports USB scanning or if email scanning isn't configured.

  1. Insert your USB flash drive into the USB port on the copier (usually on the front or side panel).
  2. On the touchscreen, tap Scan and then select Scan to USB (or USB Media).
  3. Choose the file format — PDF is recommended.
  4. Tap Start or the green button.
  5. Wait for the copier to finish, then tap Done or OK before removing the USB drive.
  6. Plug the USB drive into your computer and find your scanned file in the root folder (or a folder named "SCAN" depending on the copier brand).

4. Adjust Scan Settings (Optional) ​

Before pressing Start, most copiers let you adjust these settings:

SettingRecommended ValueWhen to Change
Color ModeBlack & WhiteSwitch to Color for photos or branded documents
Resolution200–300 DPIUse 300 DPI for text you need to read comfortably; use 150 DPI for quick drafts
File FormatPDFUse JPEG for single images; PDF for everything else
Duplex / 2-SidedOffTurn On if your document has printing on both sides
File SizeStandardChoose Compact if you need to email the file and it's many pages

5. Verify Your Scan ​

  1. Open the PDF from your email or USB drive.
  2. Confirm all pages are present and in the correct order.
  3. Check that text is legible — if it's blurry, rescan at a higher DPI (300 or above).

Troubleshooting ​

WARNING

If the copier says "SMTP error" or "Email delivery failed," the copier's email relay settings need attention from your IT team. Use the scan-to-USB method as a workaround until IT resolves it.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
"Authentication failed" when scanning to emailCopier credentials expiredContact your IT team to update the copier's email relay configuration
Scanned PDF is blank or all-blackDocument placed face-up on glassPlace the document face-down on the glass with the printed side against the surface
Pages are skewed or crookedPaper guides not aligned in ADFAdjust the ADF paper guides so they snugly touch the edges of the paper stack
Scan is blurry or unreadableResolution too lowRescan at 300 DPI or higher
USB drive not detectedUnsupported format or drive too largeUse a USB drive formatted as FAT32 (most copiers don't support NTFS or drives over 32 GB)
Email never arrivesCaught by spam filterCheck your Junk or Spam folder; add the copier's sending address to your safe senders list