Built-in Scanner Software in macOS 13

Apple's macOS 13 (Ventura) includes several pre-installed applications and system utilities capable of scanning documents without the need for third-party software. These native tools include Image Capture, Preview, the Printers & Scanners panel in System Settings, and the Continuity Camera feature. Each tool serves different scanning workflows, from simple digitizing tasks to multi-page document organization.

Image Capture

Image Capture is the dedicated default scanning utility in macOS. Located in the Applications folder, it is designed to communicate directly with flatbed and feeder scanners. Once a compatible scanner is connected via USB or Wi-Fi, Image Capture provides comprehensive control over scan settings, including resolution (DPI), color mode (Black & White, Grayscale, Color), document size, orientation, and output formats such as PDF, JPEG, or TIFF. It also includes automatic document feeder (ADF) controls and native optical character recognition (OCR) options when saving as a PDF.

Preview

The Preview application, primarily used for viewing images and PDFs, contains a built-in scanning interface. Users can initiate a scan by selecting File > Import from Scanner. This method automatically places the newly scanned pages directly into a Preview window, allowing immediate reordering, rotating, annotating, or appending of additional pages into a single multi-page PDF before saving.

System Settings (Printers & Scanners)

In macOS 13, the traditional System Preferences was redesigned into System Settings. Under the Printers & Scanners section, selecting a connected multifunction printer or standalone scanner reveals an Open Scanner button. This opens a streamlined, system-level scanning window capable of simple single-button scans or advanced multi-page configurations using the "Show Details" view.

Continuity Camera

For users without a physical hardware scanner, macOS 13 includes Continuity Camera, which utilizes an iPhone or iPad camera as a wireless document scanner. By right-clicking on the Mac desktop, in Finder, or inside native apps like Notes, Mail, or Pages, users can select Scan Documents. Pointing the connected iOS device at a physical page captures, crops, and flattens the document automatically, instantly transferring the scanned file directly to the Mac.