Adding Images and / or Documents

With Scan Things, you can extract objects from their backgrounds in both images and PDF documents, extract text from images, or convert images to readable PDF documents.

Adding an Image

Find the image you want to use. Click and drag the image onto the Scan Things window. If Scan Things can accept the image, the drag preview will show a green plus icon. Release the left mouse button.

Alternatively, select File -> Open Image(s)... from the menu at the top of the screen and choose an image.

Or copy an image from elsewhere, click on the Scan Things window, then choose Edit -> Paste from the menu at the top of your screen.

Removing the Source Image

To remove the source image from the window:

• Hit the Esc or

• Click Clear button in the floating toolbar.

Extracting Objects From Images and Documents

In the floating toolbar at the bottom of the window, set the mode selector to Objects.

Selecting a Portion to Extract

Left click and drag to select the portion of the image that contains the object you want to extract.

Alternatively, click the Scan button in the floating toolbar or hit the Return key on the keyboard.

Note: to cancel an extraction command, hit the Esc key.

Exporting an Extracted Object

Left click and drag the extracted object to another app or your desktop.

Alternatively click the Save button in the floating toolbar to save the image to a location of your choice.

Or to copy an extracted object to the clipboard:

• Type ⌘ Command C on the keyboard or

• Select Edit -> Copy from menu at the top of your screen.

Clearing an Extracted Object

To return to the source image:

• Hit the Esc key or

• Click the Cancel button in the floating toolbar.

Extracting Text From Images and Documents

Start by setting the mode selector in the floating toolbar to Text. Then, select the appropriate recognition language.

Selecting a Block of Text To Recognize

Left click and drag to select the portion of the image or document you want to scan.

Note: to cancel a text-recognition command, hit the Esc key.

Copying Recognized Text

To copy recognized text:

• Hover over a snippet, right-click the snippet, and choose Copy Snippet.

• Type ⌘ Command C on the keyboard.

• Select Edit -> Copy from menu at the top of your screen, or

• Click the Copy Text button in the floating toolbar to copy all recognized text.

Dragging Recognized Text

To drag recognized text:

• Hover over a snippet of text, then click and drag the snippet to a location of your choice.

Clearing Recognized Text

To return to the source image:

• Hit the Esc key on the keyboard or

• Click the Cancel button in the floating toolbar.

Creating a PDF

With Scan Things, you can convert photo documents that don't have any selectable text into searchable PDFs that contain all of the text as well as the images of the original document.

Exporting to PDF

Start by setting the mode selector in the floating toolbar to Documents. Select the appropriate recognition language. Then, click the Convert Images to PDF button.

Keyboard Shortcuts