How to Scan with the HP Smart App (Now the HP App)

Published October 16, 2026 - by the hpsmart.cc editorial team

Scanning is one of the main reasons people install HP Smart. The app, which HP has now replaced with the HP app, works as both a printer app and a scanner app on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Mac, according to HP's HP app page. You can scan from an HP all-in-one printer's glass or document feeder, or use your phone's camera when no scanner is nearby. This guide walks through both, then covers editing, saving, two-sided pages and what to do when scanning fails.

The steps are the same in HP Smart and in the HP app, although button names and layout can differ slightly between versions and devices. If you do not have the app yet, start with our install guide.

What you need before you scan

• An HP all-in-one printer with a scanner (a print-only model cannot scan), set up in the app and connected to the same network as your phone or computer. If the app cannot see it, use our printer not found fixes first.
• The latest version of the app on your device. Older HP Smart installations may no longer update, so moving to the HP app is worth doing first.
• For camera scanning, only your phone or tablet and the app. No printer is required.

How to scan from your printer with the app

1. Place the original face down on the scanner glass, lined up with the corner marker, or load pages face up in the automatic document feeder if your printer has one. Close the lid when using the glass.
2. Open the app and select your printer on the home screen.
3. Choose Scan. If the app asks for a source, pick the printer (scanner glass or document feeder) rather than the camera.
4. Open the scan settings and choose what you need: the source, color or black and white, page size and resolution. The exact options depend on your printer.
5. Start the scan. A preview appears when it finishes. To add more pages, scan again and the app adds them to the same job.
6. Review the pages, edit if needed (see below), then Save, Share or Print.

For a multi-page document, the feeder is quicker because it pulls in the whole stack in one pass. Use the glass for photos, thick paper, receipts and anything fragile or stapled.

How to scan with your phone camera

The mobile app can capture documents with the phone or tablet camera, which is useful for receipts, forms and notes when you are away from the printer. The App Store listing for the HP app highlights scanning receipts and multiple pages at once.

1. Open the app and choose Scan, then select the Camera option.
2. Allow camera access when asked.
3. Place the document on a flat, contrasting surface in good light and hold the phone straight above it.
4. Let the app detect the edges, or take the photo manually, then adjust the corner handles so the crop matches the page.
5. Add more pages if needed, then save or share the result.

Editing, saving and sharing your scans

After a scan you can usually crop, rotate and adjust each page before you save it. The current App Store description of the HP app also mentions auto-correcting images, naming files, flattening pages, extracting text and scanning multiple pages at once. Feature availability varies by device and country, so some of these may not appear in your version.

• PDF is the best choice for documents and multi-page scans, because all pages stay in one file.
• Image files such as JPEG suit photos and single pages you want to edit elsewhere.
• Share opens your device's share options, so you can email the scan or save it to a cloud folder you already use. HP's listing specifically mentions sending scans to email.

Can HP Smart scan double-sided pages?

It depends on the printer, not the app. Some HP all-in-ones have a document feeder that can scan both sides of a page automatically (often called two-sided or duplex scanning). On those models, a two-sided option appears in the scan settings when the feeder is selected as the source. If your printer does not have that feature, scan the front of each page, turn the pages over and scan again, adding them to the same job, then reorder the pages in the preview before saving. The product specifications on HP Customer Support show whether your model's feeder supports two-sided scanning.

Scanning on Windows and Mac without the app

The HP app is the simplest route on a computer, but it is not the only one:

• Windows: Windows has its own scanning tools that work with many HP scanners once the printer is installed. HP's full feature software for your model, from HP Customer Support, may also include HP's own scan software. HP no longer offers its older standalone "HP Scan and Capture" app, so ignore guides that still point to it.
• Mac: the built-in Image Capture app, and the Scan option in the printer's entry in System Settings, can scan from many HP all-in-ones.

Our HP app vs full software and drivers guide explains when the full driver package is the better choice.

When scanning does not work

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• HP - HP App overview and FAQ
• App Store - HP (app description)
• HP Tech Takes - HP Printer Setup Made Easy
• HP Customer Support (model specifications and scan software)

Related guides on this site: install the HP app, print from your phone, HP Smart vs HP app and the HP Smart app guide home page.