Receipt scanner

Why receipts are hard to scan

Most till receipts are printed on thermal paper, which darkens where it is heated instead of using ink. The print fades with light, heat and time, often within months, and the paper curls. A plain photo shows grey text on grey paper, and the receipt’s long, thin shape confuses cameras.

The Receipt filter, selected by default here, is tuned for that: it evens out the paper, pushes the background to white and darkens faint characters so totals, dates and VAT numbers stay legible. Scan receipts soon after you get them; no filter can bring back print that has faded completely.

Getting a clean photo of a receipt

• Flatten curled receipts first. A curve bends the text in ways corner correction can’t straighten.
• Long receipts: fill the frame top to bottom and make sure the total is sharp. If it is too long to photograph clearly, take two photos and keep both pages.
• Avoid the flash. Thermal paper is glossy and a flash can wipe out the very numbers you need.

Which filter if Receipt doesn’t look right

Try High contrast for very faded print, B&W for crisp black text on clean paper, or Original for printed invoices on ordinary paper where a logo’s colour matters. You can change the filter and press Apply again as often as you like; the original photos are kept until you start fresh.

Are scanned receipts accepted?

Many tax authorities and employers accept clear digital copies of receipts, and some require you to keep them for several years. Rules differ by country and company, so check yours. Whatever the rule, a legible PDF made today beats a blank strip of thermal paper next year.

Questions