In today's digital age, the need to convert physical documents into digital formats is more important than ever. Digitalization not only helps in preserving documents but also makes them easily accessible and shareable. For macOS users, there are several built-in tools and third-party applications that can facilitate the digitalization process. This article will guide you through the steps to digitize documents using macOS, highlighting the importance of digitalization and providing practical examples.

Examples:

1. Using the Preview App: The Preview app on macOS is a powerful tool that can be used to scan and digitize documents. Here's how you can do it:

   • Step 1: Connect your scanner to your Mac.
   • Step 2: Open the Preview app.
   • Step 3: Click on File in the menu bar and select Import from Scanner.
   • Step 4: Choose your scanner from the list.
   • Step 5: Adjust the scan settings as needed (e.g., resolution, color).
   • Step 6: Click Scan to start the scanning process.
   • Step 7: Save the scanned document in your desired format (PDF, JPEG, etc.).

   # Example command to open Preview app via Terminal
   open -a Preview

2. Using Image Capture: Image Capture is another built-in macOS application that allows you to scan documents.

   • Step 1: Connect your scanner to your Mac.
   • Step 2: Open the Image Capture app.
   • Step 3: Select your scanner from the Devices or Shared list.
   • Step 4: Adjust the scan settings as needed.
   • Step 5: Click Scan to start the scanning process.
   • Step 6: Save the scanned document.

   # Example command to open Image Capture via Terminal
   open -a "Image Capture"

3. Using Third-Party Applications: There are several third-party applications available on the Mac App Store that offer advanced features for document scanning and digitalization. Some popular options include:

   • Adobe Acrobat: Known for its robust PDF handling capabilities.
   • Scanner Pro: A user-friendly app with advanced scanning features.
   • Evernote: Allows you to scan and organize documents directly into your notes.

   # Example command to install Adobe Acrobat via Homebrew
   brew install --cask adobe-acrobat-reader