How to scan and email from a printer

Are you tired of running back and forth between your computer and printer to send a scanned document?

Did you know that most office models, like Xerox or HP printers, come with a scan-to-email feature?

This allows you to easily send scanned documents directly from the printer to your email. 

Many businesses spend big on multifunction printers for their offices.

Yet, they rarely provide training to staff on how to set up scan-to-email applications and other advanced features.

Knowing how to configure your printer with your office email setup can be a real time-saver.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to use this convenient feature to save time.

We’ll help you simplify your document scanning process and tell you when, why, and how to scan and email from a printer. 

Should you use the scan-to-email feature of your printer?

The scan-to-email feature of your printer is a way to send a scanned image or document directly to an email address.

That way, you don’t need to transfer them to your computer first.

This can be useful if you don’t have a dedicated scanning device or you don’t want to install extra software.

The advantages of sending scanned files to email from a printer are efficiency and paper-waste reduction.

You’ll save time sending and receiving documents from clients and reduce the amount of paper needed in your business.  

However, this feature may not always be the most efficient or secure option for sending documents.

Scanning a large number of documents or scanning in high resolution can be faster with a dedicated scanning device.  

If you’re concerned about the security of your scanned documents, you may want to consider using a more secure method of sending them.

For example, a secure file transfer service or an encrypted email service rather than a standard email message.

Lastly, if you want a secure and paperless alternative to scan to email, you should consider an eSignature solution or document workflow software like PandaDoc.

Using such a solution will let you and your clients sign documents online.

This is a faster and more secure form of authentication than scanning pre-signed forms.  

How to scan to an email from a printer

Not every printer is exactly the same, but using the scan-to-email function will work similarly for most. 

Consult your user guide if you need help with icons and printer menus.

To get to grips with how to scan a paper to email, though, follow these steps: 

1. Place the document face down on the scanner bed. Make sure you place the right corner of the document toward the correct end of the scanner.
2. Click Scan on your printer’s control panel home screen.
3. This will take you to the scan settings.
4. Select Scan-to-Email.
5. Select your file type (.pdf, .jpeg, etc.)
6. Follow the prompts to enter the email address of the recipient and any other necessary information.
7. Press Send to transmit the scanned document to the recipient’s email address.

How to send scanned documents to email

As well as using scan and email from your printer, you can attach a scanned document to an email from your computer or email app.

Here’s how to do it using some popular email clients:

Via Gmail

For PC and Android users with Gmail, here’s how to do it:

1. Scan the document using a scanning device.
2. Save the scanned document to your computer.
3. Open your Gmail account with your web browser or email application.
4. Click the Compose button to create a new email.
5. Click the Attach button (the paperclip) and select the scanned document from your computer or mobile. 
6. Alternatively, drag and drop the file into the body of the email (desktop only).
7. Enter the recipient’s email address from your address book and any other necessary information.
8. Click Send to transmit the email with the attached scanned document.

Via Outlook

For Microsoft Outlook users, follow these steps for how to send a scanned document to an email: 

1. Scan the document.
2. Save the scanned file to your computer.
3. Open your Outlook email account.
4. Click the New Email button to create a new email.
5. Click the Attach button and select the scanned document from your computer or drag and drop the file into the email.
6. Enter the recipient’s email address and any other necessary information.
7. Click Send to send emails with the attached document.

Via Apple Mail

If you’re using iOS on a Mac, iPad, or iPhone, here’s how to use Apple Mail to attach scanned documents:

1. Scan the document with a scanning device.
2. Save the scanned document to your computer.
3. Open your Apple Mail account.
4. Click the “New Message” button to create a new email.
5. Drag and drop the scanned document from your computer into the email. Alternatively, you can click the Attach button and select the scanned document from your computer.
6. If you’re on the Apple Mail mobile app, you’ll need to long-press the body of the email. Then, select the right-pointing arrow. Tap it once to attach images or videos, and twice to attach a document. 
7. Enter the recipient’s email address.
8. Hit Send to transmit the email with the document attached.

Easily scan and email documents from your printer

If you want to move towards a paperless office, then being able to scan and email documents in this way can be a useful tool. 

Digitizing documents from a paper-based system is faster with a dedicated scanning device.

Yet, if you need the ability to digitize new documents in your workflow, then scan-to-email is your friend.

Analyze your current document processes to see where scan-to-email will help.

Combine this with other digital solutions like cloud-based web server storage and digital signatures, and you can create paperless processes that boost productivity.