Welcome to the First Column IT Tech Blog

HomeBlog
Tip of the Week: How to Capture an Image or Document as a PDF in Android

Tip of the Week: How to Capture an Image or Document as a PDF in Android

December 16, 2022

Google Drive comes with a pre-built feature allowing users to scan a picture or document, and save it as a PDF—at least for Android smartphones. The trick can be pulled off with just a couple of taps, making it easier than ever to import documents to your Drive. Here’s how it’s done.

Scan Your Documents to Save Them as PDFs In Drive

Smartphones are a must-have technology in the office, so you don’t need to use the bulky scanner to transport copies of your documents to a cloud service like Google Drive. All you need is your camera and your Google Drive account.

First, go to your Google Drive on your phone. You must then tap the plus sign button to start adding new files to your Drive. There will be a list of options that appears; select Scan to proceed.

This should tell your device to open up the Camera app. You’ll have to provide permissions for it to access Google Drive if you haven’t already done so. Once you’re ready, frame the document with your camera and take the picture. Just confirm that the picture is the one you wish to proceed with, then tap OK.

Google Drive will make some changes to the picture, but you can adjust these yourself by making manual edits. You can add multiple pages to your new PDF as well by using the Add Page button. Once you’re done, tap Save.

Once you are done, name your file and determine which folder you want it to go to. Now you can add any documents you want to your Google Drive without using a scanner.

What kinds of tips would you like to see us cover in the future? Be sure to contact us at (571) 470-5594 and let us know.

Previous Post
October 20, 2025
Why AI's Biggest Upgrade is... You!
We’ve all been given an impression of what artificial intelligence is or will ultimately become through pop culture. HAL 9000, Skynet, Ultron, and M3GAN each show their own form of calculated malice. 
October 17, 2025
A Great IT Project Manager is Worth It
Your IT project manager is the centerpiece at the proverbial table of project implementation. Without one, your project will be much more likely to fail, or at least more likely to get done incorrectly or inefficiently. Today, we want to break down some of the qualities that make for a great project manager and how you can find the right one for your business.
October 15, 2025
Illuminating the Concept of the Dark Web
Let’s say, for a moment, that somewhere out there is a diligent employee—John—who works for a small business. While John means well, he has the unfortunate habit of using the same password for everything… including the marketing tool his employer has him sign up to use.

Have a project in mind?

Start with our free consultation. We will provide a detailed proposal and firm quote based on your specific IT support needs. All at a predictable monthly cost per seat.
Free Consultation - Sign Up Here