scanned documents

Dear theeternalhbk,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

The location where scanned documents are saved usually depends on the scanning method, the device used, and the relevant software settings.

What device are you currently using, Windows, Mac or mobile? What printer/scanner are you using?

Here are the ways to find scanned documents on common devices:

On Windows Computers

• Check the default folders: Generally, scanned documents are often saved in the "Documents" or "Pictures" folder. You can open "This PC", and then check the "Documents" folder to see if there is a sub - folder named "Scanned Documents". Or look in the "Pictures" folder, especially when the scanned files are saved in image format. The specific path may be "C:\Users\username\Pictures\Scans", but this will vary according to the default settings of your scanner or scanning software.
• Check the scanning app settings: If you use the default "Scan" app in Windows 11, you can open this app, find the settings option, and there you can see the specified save location for scanned documents. If you are using a third - party scanning software, you also need to open the software and check its corresponding save path settings.
• Use the search function: You can open "File Explorer" (you can press the Windows key + E to open it), and use the search bar in the upper - right corner to enter the file name, or keywords related to the scanned document, such as "scanned". You can also search for common scanned file extensions, such as ".pdf" or ".jpeg", to find the files you want.

On Mac Computers

• The scanned documents are usually saved in the "Documents" folder or the "Pictures" folder by default. You can open the "Finder", and then check these two folders.
• If you use the built - in scanning function of the Mac, you can check the save location setting in the "Image Capture" or "Preview" app, because these two apps are often used for scanning on the Mac.
• You can also use the "Spotlight" search function, click the magnifying glass icon in the upper - right corner of the menu bar, and then enter the relevant keywords of the scanned document to search.

On Mobile Phones

• Android phones: The scanned files are usually saved in the "Gallery" or a specific folder of the scanning app. If you use the camera to scan, the files will be saved in the album by default. If you use a third - party scanning app, you need to check the save path setting in the app. You can open the file manager of your phone and look for the relevant folder according to the above - mentioned possible locations.
• iPhones: If you use the built - in "Files" app or the camera to scan, the scanned files will be saved in the "Files" app or the "Photos" app by default. If you use a third - party scanning app, such as Adobe Scan, you can open the app, and it will display the list of your recent scans on the main interface. You can also search for files by name or date in the app.

In addition, if you have set up automatic cloud storage, for example, you have enabled the function of automatically saving scanned documents to Google Drive, OneDrive and other cloud storage, then you need to check the corresponding cloud storage folder on your computer or directly in the cloud.

I hope you find the above information helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reply. I am more than happy to provide support.

Best regards,

Kai Ho | Microsoft Community Support Specialist