Skip to main content

Google Drive Android app now scans, stores and searches your receipts and business cards

google driveGoogle has updated the Android version of its Google Drive mobile app, and amongst other changes, it has added a very helpful scanning feature, allowing you to scan documents with the camera on your phone and save them in Drive. If you already have Drive installed on your phone, then make sure it has been updated to see the new feature.

Google Drive App ScanTo give it a try, grab yourself a receipt, document or business card, then fire up the app. You may want to make a separate folder if you’re going to go crazy, if not, just tap on the menu button in the top right of the display and select Add New. Here you’ll find Scan, next to a camera-like icon. Tapping this brings up a camera view, ready for you to snap a picture.

It works as you’d expect, but you’ll need to experiment with distance and both landscape and portrait orientation, as results varied considerably. Once the picture has been taken, it’s converted to a PDF file and stored in Drive. Here’s the really clever part, as Drive can make use of its Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature and search through your newly scanned documents.

Google Drive PhotoWhile it’s probably not comprehensive enough to worry some of the dedicated receipt scanning apps, it could prove very handy for people who only occasionally worry about keeping records like this. Sadly, the feature hasn’t been added to the iPhone Drive app yet, and photos there are still uploaded as JPEG files.

In addition to the scan feature, the latest Android app update brings with it a new grid view of your files, the option of downloading files, alterations to the spreadsheet editor, plus a very helpful in-app preview mode for files and pictures. If you don’t have Google Drive installed on your Android phone, you can get it here.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
The best QR code scanning apps for iPhone and Android in 2023
Best apps for scanning QR codes

While they may not be the all-in-one solution some had envisioned, QR codes are still very popular. It's easy to understand why, too -- just point your camera or scanner at a QR code, and you're transported to a link without needing to painstakingly transcribe the whole address into your browser. As such, it's a great way for brands to easily send you content, terms and conditions, or even competitions. And scanning QR codes is at its best when you're using the best QR code scanning apps.

Scanning a QR code is easy, these days. Most of the time, QR code scanning is built-in to camera apps on iPhone and Android phones, so learning how to scan a QR code is simply a case of pointing your phone's camera at your chosen code. However, those only offer basic features, and if you want more protection from potentially harmful links, or the ability to create QR codes yourself, then you can get that from a third-party app. Here are some of the best QR code scanning apps for iPhone and Android in 2023.
QR Code Reader + QR Scanner

Read more
Google’s Android monopoly finds its biggest challenge, and Apple might be next
Apps screen on the Google Pixel 7.

The Competition Commission of India slapped Google with two hefty fines over anti-competitive strategies that have allowed it to dominate the mobile ecosystem in India. Totaling over $250 million, the penalties reprimand Google for forcing smartphone makers to avoid Android forks, prefer Google’s web search service, and pre-install popular cash cows like YouTube on phones.

Google was also disciplined for forcing its own billing system on developers that allowed the giant to take up to a 30% share of all in-app purchases for applications listed on the app store. Google is not really a stranger to titanic penalties; The EU handed Google a record-breaking fine of approximately $5 billion in 2018 for abusing its dominant market position — a penalty that was upheld in September this year following Google’s appeal.

Read more
Google wants you to know Android apps aren’t just for phones anymore
Person holding Samsung Galaxy smartphone showing Google Play Store.

When most people think of the Google Play Store, the first thing that comes to mind is smartphones. However, the spread of the Android ecosystem is far broader than that, and Google is taking steps to increase awareness of this and make it easier for folks to find apps on the Play Store for their smart TVs, watches, and even cars.

In a blog post today, the Google Play team announced three significant changes that should make it easier for Android fans to discover apps for all their devices, right from their phone. This includes recommendations of apps for non-phone devices, a search filter to focus on only games optimized for non-phone devices, and even a remote install feature that will let you deliver those apps to your Android TV, Wear OS watch, or Android Automotive-equipped car.

Read more