Mac notebooks are one of the slimmest and most versatile devices that are available in the market. As they are highly portable, they are great for official works and studies. For digitizing, you would not want to go with a chunky scanner to go along with your compact beast, would you?
Scanners are one of the most useful devices that will let you efficiently digitize essential physical papers. But as we have said, you might not want to go for a full-sized model. In that case, what you should look for is one of the best portable scanners for Mac.
It is quite easy to get bewildered among all the options that are available in the market. But as you have found us, you will not have to worry about anything. We will make things easier for you.
Benefits of A Portable Scanner
There are many advantages that a portable scanner can bring to the table over the full-sized ones. The most crucial ones are:
Easy to Store
Unlike the full-sized versions, you will not require that a large amount of space to store the portable scanners. Your work table will be able to comfortably accommodate these devices without having to sacrifice a huge chunk of space.
Easy to Carry
Compared to the full-blown versions, these devices are incredibly lightweight and compact. That means you will not only be to digitize essential papers at home, but you can also carry it with you to your workspace or university at ease.
Hassle-free
Whereas the full-sized scanners require to be plugged in a power outlet, most of the portable ones will also need a USB cable to turn on. You will not have to worry about power adapters anymore.
10 Best Portable Scanners For Mac
The market is full of scanners that are from different manufactures. It gets a little challenging to pick the best one among all of them. For that reason, we went through the most popular ones and selected only the ten best ones for you.
1. Epson WorkForce ES-50 Portable Sheet-Fed
If you head out in the market looking for one of the best portable scanners for Mac, you are going to stumble upon a plethora of devices. But you are going to have a tough time trying to find something that will be as fast as this one.
First of all, the device is extremely lightweight and compact. It will not require that much space on your worktable. The small body makes the unit portable, which will make it extremely easy to carry it around with you.
Apart from the thin and lightweight footprint, the device is extremely fast too. In fact, it is one of the lightest and fastest single fed scanner that is available in the market. It can read an entire page within 5.5 seconds. You will not have to wait that long to declutter your work table with this.
The device is exceptionally versatile too. It can scan documents that are up to 8.5 x 72 inches in size. Other than that, it can also read receipts, ID cards, business cards, and other paper-related stuff.
It comes bundled with intelligent software that will let you easily organize the files after scanning. The Epson ScanSmart will let you review and save the scanned files the way you prefer. You can save the scanned files to the cloud directly.
The device does not require any external power source. Instead, you will have to connect it with a USB cable to turn it on. This cable will also transmit the data to your Mac and let you save to local storage. Lastly, with the built-in Nuance OCR feature, it will be able to create PDFs, excel, and word files that are going to be searchable and editable.
2. Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i Portable Color Duplex
Mac notebooks are a pretty sleek looking device. And, if you were looking for a scanner that will go well with your laptop without ruining the overall aesthetics, you should have a look at this unit from Fujitsu.
Apart from just looking sleek, the device is comes packed with features. It comes with a color scanner that can read two sides of the documents at one go. That means you will be able to digitize all your essential papers in no time at all.
Other than that, it comes with an automatic feeder, just like the large-sized units. It will be able to hold ten pages and read them continuously. With this, you will be able to handle a large volume of papers without that much hassle.
The device is extremely versatile too. It can not only go through regular sized papers but also can read small ID cards, business cards, receipts, extra-large pages, and even more. You will not have to worry about the scanner not being able to read any of your essential documents.
Just like all the modern scanners, it comes packed with OCR functionalities too. It will let the device create multi-paged PDFs, Excel, and Word files that are going to be searchable and editable. You will be able to organize and monitor your scanned files easily with this.
The scanning speed is relatively fast too. It can go through 12 double-sided papers per minute. You will be able to finish your digitizing essential documents task in no time at all.
It comes integrated with intelligent software that will automatically fix the scans. The device can adjust color profiles, correct rotations, remove empty scans from the system, and many more.
3. Brother Mobile Color Page Scanner, DS-620
Portable scanners that are both lightweight and compact can make a lot of scanning works easy. If you were in the search for such units, you should have a look into this one from Brother.
First of all, the unit is exceptionally lightweight and compact. The overall body length measures under 12 inches, and it weighs under 1 pound. This small and lightweight footprint will let you carry the device with you and scan virtually anywhere you want.
Alongside the compact form factor, the device can read documents at a fast pace too. It can go through eight pages per minute in both color mode and black and white mode. You will not have to waste that much amount of time to digitize a large number of essential documents.
The device is quite easy to use. Unlike most of the available scanners, it does not require any external power to turn on. All you have to do is connect the unit to your computer to make it functional.
After connecting it with your notebook, you can save the scanned files to a local storage drive. Other than that, you can also set it up to scan and save the scanned files directly to a cloud storage solution too. It can also mail them directly to a mailing address.
The device comes packed with industry-standard drives such as SANE and TWAIN. These will let you integrate the scanner directly to most of the document applications that are popular nowadays.
It comes bundled with advanced software. The software will let you distribute and manage all the scanned files efficiently. It will also allow you to merge documents and convert them to different file formats. The OCR functionality will let it create searchable and editable document files.
4. Brother DS-720D
Not all the devices that are out in the market can efficiently scan photos. And, if you were searching for the best portable photo scanner for Mac, you should take a look into this unit from Brother.
The device comes packed with a scanner that has a maximum optical resolution of 600 x 600 DPI. That means it will be able to digitize not only black and white documents but also colored ones and printed photos. You will be able to bring back the life to the age-old family photos.
Other than that, the unit is exceptionally lightweight and features a compact footprint. It comes with a sleek looking body that is only 12 inches in length and has an overall weight that is under one pound. You will have no trouble carrying this to your office.
Alongside the compact and lightweight body, it can scan documents at a relatively fast pace too. With the duplex mode, it will be able to read both sides of the pages at one go. In that mode, it can read up to 5 pages per minute, and with standard settings, it can scan at eight pages per minute.
The unit is extremely versatile too. It will not only be able to digitize your essential regular sized documents but also receipts, ID cards, business cards, photos, and anything that is 8.5 x 32 inches or below. You will have no trouble in creating backups of the papers that are lying around on your desk.
It comes bundled with software that will allow you to manage and adjust the documents the way you prefer them. The OCR mode will let the device create editable and searchable PDFs, Excel, and Word files. It also comes integrated with SANE and TWAIN.
5. Brother Wireless, ADS-1700W
In the case of document scanners, the ones that come integrated with a display makes monitoring the device an easy task. If you were looking for such a unit, you should put this one into your consideration.
The device comes integrated with a 2.8 inches large colored touchscreen display that makes it extremely easy to use. It allows one-touch scanning process and will let you save a lot of presets.
With a predefined profile, the device will automatically read and process according to the file the way you set the preset up.
It comes packed with a double-sided scanner that makes digitizing documents faster. The device can go through 25 pages per minute, which will save both your time and energy.
Alongside the regularly sized papers, it can read receipts, photos, and documents that are up to 34 inches long. Also, there is a dedicated card slot for ID cards and business cards.
The unit comes with an automatic feeding mechanism too. It comes with a feeder that can hold up to 20 pages at a time. The feeder will feed the scanner the documents one by one automatically.
That means you will be able to stack all the essential papers together and let the unit be while you do some other important task.
After scanning, it can automatically enhance the files. It will fix the color, make adjustments to the alignment, correct rotation, enhance the texts, and many more. The OCR compatibilities will let the device output searchable and editable PDF, Excel, and Word files.
Alongside saving the files to local storage wired and wirelessly, it can also send them directly to cloud storage solutions. Other than that, it can email the scanned files directly to your preferred mailing address.
6. Scanmarker Air Pen Scanner
If you are a student, you might not require a scanner that can read the entire page at once. Instead, you might want something that can only read a couple of critical lines and transfer them to your preferred application. In that case, you should have a look into this pen scanner.
The devices come with a pen-shaped form factor. This body makes the unit extremely lightweight and portable. It is quite compact and easy to carry too.
It comes with a smart OCR scanner on the head that does all the reading. There is no need to feed the pages to this device. All you have to do is glide the pen through the lines that you want to scan, and it will appear instantly on the connected screen.
The OCR scanner is extremely accurate. It will be able to accurately read a plethora of languages and transmit the data to a connected display. You will not have to borrow books and carry them back to your home anymore.
It is compatible with a plethora of popular document applications that are out there, such as Microsoft Word. Besides that, it comes with an intuitive mobile app of its own too. With that, you will not even require a laptop or notebooks to edit the texts that you scanned with the pen.
The device comes with a built-in 200 mAh battery that can make it run for up to seven days with typical use. It also comes integrated with a Bluetooth chip that allows it to communicate with the connected screen wirelessly. Lastly, by connecting it to a device, you will be able to make the pen translate languages in real-time. It also has a read-aloud feature that will make assignments easier.
7. Fujitsu PA03688-B005 ScanSnap iX100 Wireless
While looking at all the portable scanners for Mac reviews, you might want to get a fully wireless unit. In that case, you should have a look at this unit from Fujitsu.
Unlike most of the scanners, it does not require to be connected to a power source or any USB cable to operate. It comes integrated with a rechargeable 5 volts 0.5 amps battery that will keep the device on. You will not have to worry about carrying any power adapters or USB cables with you anymore.
The battery lasts for quite a long time too. With full charge, the device will be able to read up to 260 pages. You will be able to finish scanning most of your essential documents before it runs out of juice.
Other than that, the unit is exceptionally lightweight and compact too. This small footprint makes it extremely portable. You will have no trouble carrying it with you to your workplace.
It comes integrated with a dual-sided scanner. With that, it will be able to read both sides of the papers at one go. It increases the overall read speed of the scanner. The unit can scan a fully colored document at just 5.2 seconds, which makes it able to read 11 pages per minute.
The scanner can read both monochrome and colored documents at a high resolution. It has a maximum optical resolution of 600 DPI. With that, you will also be able to scan photos too.
Lastly, the device is quite easy to use. With just one tap of the button, it can scan and store the scanned files to your preferred location. You can save them in a local storage device or to the cloud.
8. Epson Workforce ES-55R
Managing all the physical store receipts can be a time-consuming task. In that case, a scanner that comes integrated with receipt organizing software can make that task a piece of cake. If you were looking for such a unit, you should keep this one into consideration.
The device comes bundled with dedicated management software for receipts. It does not require any sort of subscription fee. The software will make categorizing the key points from the receipts easier by automatically extracting them.
Eventually, it will minimize the errors that generally occurs during data entry and as a result increase overall productivity.
It will also let you export the scanned data to third party software. You will easily be able to send them to data management software such as Quicken, Excel CSV, QuickBooks, Turbo Tax, and more. These will make it easier for you to organize all the information.
Other than just scanning receipts, it will be able to read other documents too. It can scan documents, ID cards, and other papers that are under 8.5 x 72 inches.
The device can read through documents at a fast pace too. It can finish scanning a single page within 5.5 seconds. That means it can go through about 11 pages in one minute.
Besides that, the device is relatively lightweight. It weighs under 10 oz, which makes it highly portable. You will be able to carry it around and take it anywhere you prefer. Unlike most of the scanners, it is powered through a USB. That means you will not have to worry about carrying a power adapter with you. After connecting it to a computer, you can choose to save the scanned files to local storage, or you can store them to a cloud server.
9. ClearClick Photo & Document Scanner
In your search for a compact scanner for your Mac, you might want to get something that will not only efficiently read documents but also pictures. In that case, you should have a look at this unit from ClearClick.
The device comes with a scanner that has a maximum optical resolution of 1200 DPI. That means it will not only be able to digitize your essential documents but also will be able to archive age-old family pictures. With this, you will be able to declutter both your desk and photo album storage.
It comes featured with easy to use buttons that will let you quickly scan the essential papers and photos. With just one click, you will be able to convert the images into JPG and documents to digital PDF format.
The device comes with an auto feeder that will make the scanning process smooth. All you have to do is insert one end to the feeder, and it will automatically drag the rest of the part. It can scan documents and photos that are up to 8.5 x 47 inches.
Other than that, the unit comes with a built-in 1.45 inches screen that will preview the scanned part. You will be able to see how much of the document the device scanned and the quality of the scan in real-time.
Unlike most of the scanners, it does not require any USB cable or power adapters to operate. All you are going to need is AA batteries. It does not also require any computer too. There is an onboard microSD slot that will let you store the files directly to the memory card.
Lastly, it comes integrated with OCR software that will let the device create searchable and editable files.
10. Vupoint Solutions Magic Wand ST470
We are going to finish off our portable scanners for Mac reviews with this unit from Vupoint. If you were in the search for a wireless and lightweight unit, you should have a look into this.
To start with, it features a compact and extremely portable body. The device is relatively lightweight too. It has an overall weight of 1.4 pounds, which will make it easier for you to carry it with you to your workplace or libraries.
Alongside being highly portable, the unit is extremely flexible too. It does not require any power adapter or USB cable to turn on. Instead, it relies on a lithium battery. That means you will not have to carry any USB cable or power bricks with you all the time.
Unlike most of the devices that are out there, it does not require a computer to operate. It comes with a built-in microSD card slot that can hold memory cards that are up to 32 GB. With this, you will be able to scan virtually anywhere and at any given time. The only thing you have to consider is the charge.
It comes bundled with software that will let you manage all the files. After scanning, you will be able to adjust, organize, and archive the scanned files. You will not have to rely on third-party software to get full access to your files.
The device comes with an advanced scanner that has an optical resolution of 1200 DPI. It will let you scan high-resolution images and documents. The scanner can scan up to 8.5 x 12.5 inch-documents.
Lastly, there is a 1.5-inch preview screen that will show you the overall progress of each scan in real-time. Also, there is easy to use buttons beside the screen that will let you control the scans.
Things To Consider Before Buying
We know that you are pretty thrilled to get your hands on a device after going through all portable scanners for Mac reviews, but there are some factors that you should keep in mind before you make a purchase. These will let you scrutinize the devices efficiently. They are:
Size and Weight
Most of the devices that are out there in the market are not that compact. If the device that you are shooting for does not feature a small footprint, it will not be that portable. To make carrying the scanners around easy, you should consider the ones that have a compact form factor.
Also, not all the compact devices that are out there are lightweight. If the units are heavy, you will have a lot of trouble carrying it with you to your workplace or office. For that reason, alongside the compact body, you should also consider the overall heft of the units.
Scanning Resolution
The optical resolution of the scanners will play an essential role in the overall clarity and quality of the scanned files. In this case, if you plan to scan photos, then you should opt for a device that comes with a higher optical resolution. The more the DPI, the better output you will have in case of photos.
On the other hand, if you plan to scan documents only, then you will not have to worry that much. Most of the scanners will feature at least 300 DPI, and for papers with text, 300 DPI is more than enough.
Scanning Speed
The speed of the scanner is another factor that you should consider. You would not want to waste an entire day trying to digitize all the essential papers that are cluttering on your desk, would you? In that case, the faster the scans, the faster you will be able to finish off your task.
Besides that, fast scanners make it easy to digitize all the photos of the family album too. With those, you will be able to bring back life to the age-old pictures in no time at all.
Bundled Software
The software that comes bundled with the scanner also has an essential part in the overall scanning experience. If the software is clunky and buggy, you will have a tough time trying to organize and manage your files after scanning. That is why you should consider the bundled software too.
Other than that, you should also consider if the software is being regularly updated or not. The ones with outdated software will make it harder for you to adjust the files.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does the DPI stand for in the case of scanners?
DPI is the measuring unit in the case of images. The scanner's output an image file after scanning pictures and photos. In this case, the DPI will determine the overall clarity and crispness of the images. The higher the DPI, the better the quality of the photos will be.
2. Are portable scanners worth it?
Portable scanners are just as good as the regular-sized ones, if not better. Alongside retaining the same functionalities, these scanners feature a small, lightweight, and easy-to-carry footprint.
That means you will have no trouble in taking them to your office and bringing them back to your home. So we would say that they are very much worth it.
3. What should I do if the scanner outputs images with white lines?
If the scanned files have a white line, this usually means that there is dust inside the scanner. In this case, grab an air blower can and spray it inside the scanner. If the problem still persists, contact the manufacturer.
4. What to do if there is a black bar or the images have streaks across them?
If this happens, that means the scanner is not working optimally. In this case, you should contact the manufacturer and claim your warranty.
5. What DPI is the best for speed and clarity?
Usually, anything higher than 300 DPI will give you detailed and sharp photos. But for the right combination of speed and clarity, you should opt for 600 DPI.
Final WordsA decent portable scanner will not only make it easier for decluttering all the papers in your home but also make it easier for you to carry it to your office and digitize all the essential documents there.
We hope that we were able to make things easier, and you are now well prepared to choose the best portable scanners for Mac by yourself.
