Did you know that you can transfer all your old photos onto your current smartphone or computer without being a computer wizard? Yes, it is possible; thanks to the best portable scanners for photos. These machines are small yet powerful enough to scan photos into digitized formats you can share with friends and family in social media.
But that’s not all; these scanners can as well scan several other kinds of documents so there is no limit to what you can scan. Better yet, most of them are battery-operated to ensure cordless operation wherever you go. Whether you need a scanner for photos or other kinds of documents, the following top 10 best portable scanners for photos reviews [2023 will help you narrow down your choices to the best one. Have a look.
Our Top Picks for Best Portable Scanner for Photos [2023 on Amazon.com
1. Doxie Go SE Portable Scanner
Operated by a rechargeable battery, the Doxie Go SE Portable Scanner can scan photos, papers, and receipts anywhere, no computer needed. It has a compact and portable design to enable you to carry it whenever you are traveling.
This unit is simple to use as all you need to do is turn it on and insert your paper to make a digital copy in a matter of seconds. It is equipped with an auto-adjust feature that applies smart cropping, automatic contrast, and de-skew to make every scan look crisp and clear. Moreover, this model comes with expandable memory to enable you to store up to 4000 scans before you have to sync.
Pros
- This scanner is easy to use with no drivers needed
- It allows you to scan documents on the go
- Scans full-color pages in a matter of seconds
Cons
- All the thumbnails look the same, making it difficult to identify various documents
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2. Brother Mobile Color Page Scanner
Measuring 12 inches in length and weighing less than 1lb, the Brother Mobile Color Page Scanner is compact and lightweight for easy portability. It is powered by a USB cable to enable you to operate it conveniently using your laptop.
This model has a versatile design so it can efficiently scan and manage paper documents up to 8.5 to 32 inches including plastic ID cards. It comes with carrier sheet to allow you to easily scan oddly shaped, delicate, or small items. There is scanning software included to enable you to scan documents to a local file, image, FTP, shared folder or printer. Besides, this scanner is loaded with industry-standard drivers to provide for easy integration with Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems.
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Pros
- This unit does not require a wall power outlet
- It is ideal for people with limited desk space
- Scans at a fast speed of up to 8 pages per minute
Cons
- The power cord placement is awkward and needs a better design
3. Epson Perfection Color Photo Scanner V370
Scan photos, negatives, films, and documents using the Epson Perfection Color Photo Scanner V370. It uses ReadyScan technology to provide fast scans with no warm-up time for you to begin scanning immediately. There are a built-in transparency unit and 4800 x 9600 dpi optical resolutions to enable you to create archive photos, documents, and enlargements.
This scanner features document capture software to allow you to scan directly to cloud services such as MS SharePoint, Google docs, and Evernote among others. Also, it has a photo restoration feature to enable you to revive those old family photos and bring them back to life. Not to mention the one-touch button operation that provides for scan-to-email and copy.
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Pros
- This scanner comes with an AC adapter and power cable
- It has a flexible lid that opens up to 180 degrees
- This model is very simple to operate and scans instantly
Cons
- It is a bit larger compared to other models in the same class
4. Brother Portable Desktop Scanner
Scan a variety of documents including single and double-sided at a speed of 25 pages per minute with the Brother Portable Desktop Scanner. It has a dedicated card slot to enable you to scan plastic cards.
This scanner allows for large storage support through scan to USB to allow for scanning and recovery of files by just opening the driver on your connected PC. It supports multiple scans to destinations to enable you to send to OCR(2), mobile devices(2) and email (2). Better yet, this scanner begins to work almost instantly without the need to install software.
Pros
- This scanner has automatic color detection to help you enhance scans
- It is compact and lightweight for easy portability
- The versatile design allows for wireless scanning to PC
Cons
- Transmission over the wireless is a little too slow depending on the size of the PDF or JPG it is transmitting
5. Avision Portable Scanner (Is15+)
Featuring a built-in image processor, the Avision Portable Scanner (Is15+) can handle photos, receipts, business cards, and small memos among others. It has a standalone design that allows you to use without the need for a PC.
This scanner is small and feather light so you can easily travel with it for on-the-go scanning. Scanned photos can easily be saved into a memory card or flash drive by just plugging any of the devices into the scanner. This scanner is equipped with advanced de-skew feature and crop functions to give you the perfect results each time. Also, it boasts a resolution of 300dpi with an automatic feeding mechanism for utmost convenience.
Pros
- This device scans quickly and easily
- It fits photos of up to 5×7 inches in size
- The scanned pictures are very bright, sharp, and decent
Cons
- The scanner does not work well on old pictures with poor lighting conditions
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6. Plustek Photo Scanner
Consider the Plustek Photo Scanner for the easiest and convenient way to scan photos and documents. It takes 2 seconds to scan a photo of 4×6 inches and 5 seconds on a photo of 8×10 inches.
Thus, with this scanner, you can easily convert about 1000 photos to digitized files to share with friends and family in one afternoon. It is designed with powerful image enhancement functions to enable you to quickly enhance and restore old photos. Also, advanced editing features are available so you can use if need be. This scanner is compatible with Mac, Windows 7, 8, and 10 to enable you to download the latest version of the software for optimum performance.
Pros
- This unit is more efficient than a flatbed scanner
- It is very simple to operate
- The scanner is of high-quality for extra strength and longevity
- It scans a variety of documents really fast
Cons
- There’s no automatic internal color correction option
7. Doxie Flip – Cordless Flatbed Photo Scanner
Whether you want to scan photos, notebooks, coin, sketches, and stamps, the Doxie Flip – Cordless Flatbed Photo Scanner is ideal for you. It is equipped with Doxie software that lets you organize the scans and save the digital copies to your desktop or to cloud for instant sharing.
The scanner comes with a rechargeable battery to allow for cordless operation. It arrives in about the size of a book, meaning it is compact enough for you to take anywhere. What’s more, this model is designed with a unique removable lid that you can take off in order to view your scan as it happens.
Pros
- This scanner is extremely simple to use
- It is ideal for reviving old family photos
- The price is just right for the performance you get
Cons
- There is no option for alternative file formats; it only saves documents in JPG formats
8. Epson Workforce Portable Scanner ES-300W
Featuring a 20-batch automatic feeder, the Epson Workforce Portable Scanner ES-300W provides quick scanning of stacks of paper. It can scan 25 pages per minute to give you speedy document scanning each time.
This scanner has a wireless design to allow for a wireless scan to your smartphone, computer or tablet. It features intelligent color and image adjustments to allow for skew correction, auto crop, blank page, and background removal. For total portability, this scanner is not only compact and lightweight but also it comes with AC power cable and USB cable for wherever your business takes you. Plus it is versatile to scan two-sided documents, plastic IDs, receipts and many more.
Pros
- This scanner has a good quality to last several uses
- It creates searchable PDFs, editable work, and excel files
- The feeder pulls each sheet in order
Cons
- The wireless mode is not as efficient as the USB mode
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9. ClearClick Photo and Document Scanner
The ClearClick Photo and Document Scanner runs on three AA batteries to ensure cordless operation. It has an automatic feeder that allows you to simply load the photo or document into the scanner and you are done. This scanner requires no software or computer and is portable to allow you to use anywhere your business takes you. It has a power button at the top that you need to press and hold so it begins to scan documents almost instantly.
There is a memory card included to enable you to save your digitized files easily and automatically. Moreover, you can transfer the scanned files to your computer or Mac using the USB cable included.
Pros
- Scanning with this equipment is quick and easy
- The quality is decent and seems to last
- The performance you get is well worth the money
Cons
- The batteries run out fairly quickly, otherwise, the scanner works well
10. Vupoint Magic Wand Portable Scanner ST470
Scan all your documents in color or black and white when you have the Vupoint Magic Wand Portable Scanner ST470. It is equipped with optical character recognition software to enable you to convert scanned documents into editable texts and searchable files.
This scanner operates on a rechargeable battery that can accommodate up to 400 scans per single charge. It comes with a color LCD screen that lets you preview scans to ensure you capture everything before you begin scanning. What’s more, there is a user’s manual included to give you a head start on how to use the device.
Pros
- This unit boasts an automatic feeder for optimum convenience
- It comes with a 32GB microSD card for storage of scanned documents
- This model is easy to use to provide more quality and control
Cons
- The output format is only JPEG and PDF
Buyers Guide for the Best Portable Scanners for Photos
Finding the best photo scanner can be a little overwhelming, especially if you have never owned one before. So you need to have the following in mind when shopping;
Durability
When shopping for a good photo scanner, go for one that is well-built with sturdy materials to withstand the elements and the rigors of everyday use. You don’t want to power up your scanner one day only to realize it has stopped working. You work so hard for you money not end up investing it in a poor quality scanner.
Design
Even though all the photo scanners included in these reviews are portable, still, the portability varies remarkably from one unit to another. Make sure the scanner you purchase has a slim design that is feather light and compact to ensure you can easily slide it into your backpack for portability. This will come in handy for on-the-go photo scanning.
Versatility
A versatile photo scanner is a unit that is capable of scanning more than just photos. It will be very useful to have a scanner that can scan plastic IDs, receipts, coins and other kinds of documents. Therefore, when looking for the best photo scanner consider one that can scan a variety of documents and transfer them in various file formats as well.
Conclusion
With digitalization gaining popularity every single day, most people store most of their important documents including photos in softcopy forms. Hence, so you may think that those old family photos you have at home are now useless because of this. Surprisingly, this is not the case; in fact, you can convert them into digitized softcopy formats shareable instantly with friends and family. All you need is the best scanners for photos, check out our thorough reviews for one or two scanners of your choice.