The scanner allows you to "copy" images into your PC. It uses the same technology as a copy machine. However, instead of making another copy, it stores the image in your PC. The more inexpensive scanners can only scan in monochrome, while the more expensive ones scan in color.

A scanned image can be a picture or text which can be used in documents, or in desktop publishing, or in other software applications. However, if the image is text, it must first must be converted from an image into a text format. This requires additional software, which usually comes with your sanner, called OCR software.

Scanners come in two types: hand-held and flatbed or desktop scanner.