Summary: Image Capture is a free app built into macOS that works with almost any scanner. Use it to scan a single page to JPEG or PDF, or tick Combine into single document to scan many pages into one PDF file. This guide shows every step.

Every Mac includes a small app called Image Capture that is easy to overlook. It lives in the Utilities folder and connects directly to your scanner, so you do not need to install the manufacturer’s software. This guide shows you how to scan a single page and how to scan a stack of pages into one PDF file.

What You’ll Learn

  • Where to find the Image Capture app on your Mac
  • How to connect and select your scanner
  • How to scan a single page
  • How to scan multiple pages into one PDF
  • Which settings matter: file format, resolution, and save location

1. Open Image Capture

  1. Make sure your scanner or printer-scanner is turned on and connected (USB cable, or on the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac).
  2. Open Finder.
  3. Click Applications in the sidebar, then open the Utilities folder.
  4. Double-click Image Capture.

Faster way: press Command + Space, type “Image Capture”, and press Return.

2. Select Your Scanner

  1. Look at the sidebar on the left of the Image Capture window.
  2. Under Devices, click your scanner. Network scanners appear under Shared.
  3. If your scanner is not listed, check that it is powered on, connected to the same network as your Mac, and try unplugging and replugging the USB cable.
  4. Click Show Details at the bottom of the window if you only see a simple view. This reveals all the scanning options.

3. Scan a Single Page

  1. Place your document face-down on the scanner glass (flatbed) and close the lid.
  2. In Image Capture, select your scanner and click Show Details.
  3. In the Scan Mode menu, choose Flatbed for the glass, or Document Feeder if you use the automatic sheet feeder.
  4. Under Scan To, choose where to save the file (for example Pictures or Desktop).
  5. Under Format, choose JPEG for a photo-style image, or PDF for a document.
  6. Set Resolution to around 150 dpi for text documents, or 300 dpi for photos.
  7. Click Scan.

The scanned file appears in the folder you chose under Scan To.

4. Scan Multiple Pages into One PDF

This is the most useful trick in Image Capture: several pages become a single PDF file instead of many separate files.

With a Flatbed (Scanner Glass)

  1. In the Name field at the bottom of the window, type a name for your document (for example, “tax-forms”).
  2. In Format, choose PDF.
  3. Tick the box Combine into single document.
  4. Put the first page on the glass and click Scan.
  5. Replace the page with the next one and click Scan again.
  6. Repeat for every page. As long as the Name stays the same, Image Capture appends each page to that same PDF.
  7. When you finish the last page, the complete multi-page PDF is saved to your Scan To folder.

Important: Pages combine only if every scan uses the same document Name. If you change the name, Image Capture starts a new PDF instead of adding a page to the existing one.

With a Document Feeder (ADF)

  1. In the Name field, type a name for your document.
  2. Load all pages into the automatic document feeder (most printers load face-up or face-down—check the guide next to the tray).
  3. In Scan Mode, choose Document Feeder.
  4. In Format, choose PDF and tick Combine into single document.
  5. Click Scan. The feeder pulls all pages through and saves them as one PDF automatically.

5. Useful Scanning Options

  • Kind: Choose Color, Black & White, or Text. “Text” often gives the cleanest, smallest files for printed pages.
  • Resolution (dpi): 150 dpi is fine for documents you read on screen; 300 dpi is better for photos or pages you may print later. Higher numbers mean larger files.
  • Auto selection: Choose Detect Separate Items to scan several photos at once and save each one as its own file.
  • Scan To: Use Other to pick any folder, so your scans always land where you want them.

Quick Checklist

  • Scanner powered on and connected by USB or Wi-Fi
  • Image Capture opened (Spotlight: Command + Space, type “Image Capture”)
  • Scanner selected in the Devices or Shared sidebar
  • Show Details clicked to reveal all options
  • Scan To folder and Format chosen
  • Single page: click Scan
  • Multiple pages: Name entered and kept the same, PDF format + Combine into single document ticked, then scan each page (or use the document feeder)

When to Get More Help

  • Scanner never appears in the sidebar: Restart both the scanner and your Mac, and check the scanner maker’s website for updated macOS software.
  • Scans look blurry or streaked: Clean the scanner glass, raise the resolution to 300 dpi, and try Kind: Text for documents.
  • You need editing after scanning: Open the PDF in Preview to rotate pages, reorder them, or delete a page.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where is Image Capture on my Mac?
In Applications → Utilities → Image Capture. You can also open it with Spotlight by pressing Command + Space and typing “Image Capture”.

Why scan with Image Capture instead of the printer’s own app?
It is built into macOS, needs no extra installation, and its Combine into single document option makes multi-page PDFs simple.

What file formats does Image Capture support?
JPEG, PDF, PNG, and TIFF. Choose PDF for multi-page documents; JPEG works well for photos.

Can I scan both sides of double-sided pages?
Only if your scanner has a duplex (double-sided) feeder. Otherwise scan one side of all pages, flip the stack, scan again, and combine the PDFs in Preview.

Do I need to install drivers for my scanner?
Often not. macOS supports many scanners natively. If yours does not appear in Image Capture, check the manufacturer’s website for a macOS driver.

If you want to capture what is on your screen instead of paper, see how to take screenshots on macOS.

Conclusion

Image Capture is the built-in macOS app that handles scanning without extra software. Scan a single page by selecting your scanner, choosing a format, and clicking Scan. For a multi-page document, pick PDF as the format, tick Combine into single document, and scan each page—or let the document feeder do the work for you.