Make a scan look printed
A document photographed on a phone rarely looks good: the paper comes out grey or yellow, one side is darker than the other, and the text is faint. Forms, certificates and notes sent like that are hard to read and often refused.
Clean Scan measures the paper across every page and evens it out, so the page turns white from edge to edge and the shadow of your hand or the curve of a book disappears. The ink is then darkened, so text and signatures stand out clearly.
Colour keeps stamps, signatures and coloured ink as they are. Grey and Black & white make smaller files, which helps when a portal limits the upload size.
Simple, practical guidance
How to use Clean Scan
Each page is read at print resolution, the colour of the paper is measured across the page, and the page is evened out so the paper turns white and the shadows go, then the ink is darkened.
- 1
Choose the scanned PDF.
- 2
Pick Colour, Grey or Black & white and the strength.
- 3
Compare the first page before and after.
- 4
Clean and download the PDF.
Get a better result
Shadows from a phone or a book's curve, and yellowed or grey paper, are taken out page by page. Choose Colour to keep stamps and signatures in colour, Grey for any ink, or Black & white for the crispest text and the smallest file.
Know how your file is handled
Pages are cleaned by your browser on your own device, so certificates, IDs and forms are never uploaded.
Check before you share
Every page is saved as a cleaned picture, so text that could be selected before cannot be selected after; run OCR PDF on the result to make it searchable again. A coloured background that is part of the design is treated as paper and lightened.
Questions people ask
Clean Scan FAQ
Shadows, yellow paper, colour or black and white, and searchable text.
How do I remove the shadow from a scanned document?
Choose the PDF, keep the Colour look and download. The shadow is measured across the page and evened out, so the paper comes out white.
Can it make yellow or old paper white?
Yes. The colour of the paper is measured page by page, so yellowed or grey paper is turned white while the ink stays dark.
Which look should I choose?
Colour keeps stamps and signatures in colour. Grey works for any ink and makes a smaller file. Black & white gives the crispest text and the smallest file, best for printed text.
Will the text still be searchable?
Not on its own, because the cleaned pages are pictures. Run OCR PDF on the result to add a searchable text layer again. OCR PDF
Is my document uploaded?
No. Every page is cleaned in your browser, so the file stays on your device.
Can I clean phone photos?
Turn the photos into a PDF with JPG to PDF first, then clean that PDF here. JPG to PDF
Why did a coloured box on my page turn lighter?
Anything that covers most of an area is read as paper and lightened. For pages with designed colour backgrounds, use a lower strength or the Colour look.
Is it free?
Yes. Clean Scan is free, with no sign-up and no watermark.