How to scan book pages on iPhone without curved lines

Books don't lie flat. Near the spine, lines of text bend down and away, and a normal photo keeps the curve. ScanMojo straightens those lines so the scanned page reads like a flat printout.

  1. 1

    Open the book on a flat surface

    Press it open gently. You don't need to hold it perfectly flat, but keep your fingers near the outer edges.

  2. 2

    Scan one page at a time

    Frame one page, spine to outer edge, and hold steady until it's captured. Then frame the facing page.

  3. 3

    Keep Straighten lines on

    In the editor, Straighten lines flattens curved text so it runs straight and lines up on the left margin.

  4. 4

    Clear fingers from the edges

    Remove fingers & staples erases fingertips holding the page open, filling the space with the paper's color.

For thick books

The deeper the curve, the more of the page falls into shadow near the spine. Scan in even light, and tip the phone slightly toward the spine so the camera sees into the curve. ScanMojo lifts the remaining shadow.

Copyright applies to books. Scanning pages for your own study or reference is usually fine; sharing or publishing them may not be.

Questions

Can ScanMojo split a two-page spread automatically?

Not yet. Scan the left and right pages one at a time for the straightest result.

Can I search the text of the pages I scanned?

Yes. Text on every page is recognized on your iPhone, so you can search your scans by any word on them.

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