Documentation / Desktop / Scan a document Upload files

Cameras

Switch camera

If you have more than one camera connected (for example a built-in webcam and an external document camera), click the gear at the left of the SCAN button to open the camera list.

Camera selector
Camera selector overlay on top of the darkened camera preview, listing two cameras. The active one is highlighted in green with a status dot; each entry has Use and Set default buttons, and a Close button sits below the list
  • Use: switch for this session.
  • Set default: always open with this camera. The chosen one is marked Default.

If you have a dedicated document camera, set it as the default. Cameras you have used before but that aren't plugged in right now stay in the list, greyed out with a last-seen time, and can be removed with Forget.

The scanner also notices cameras being plugged in and unplugged while it's open. If your default camera comes back, a small prompt over the preview offers to switch to it.

If there is no camera

When no camera can be opened, the Scan tab shows No camera detected instead of the preview, with the reason and the same camera list, so you can pick another one without leaving the page. Retry camera detection looks again after you plug something in.

Recommended hardware

A standard webcam works, but a dedicated document camera makes scanning faster and sharper: you lay the document under the camera instead of holding it up to a webcam. The Get a Cam tab in the scanner points at the DocuGuest Camera, the model we test against.

Get a Cam
Get a Cam tab: a "Recommended hardware" poster headlined "Plug in. Start scanning.", a photo of the folding USB document camera on its stand, a short description, feature tags for 4K resolution, USB, plug and play, auto-focus and 3-level LED, and a "Get your camera" button
  • Fixed position: no shaking, consistent framing.
  • Better focus: designed to read text and fine details at close range.
  • Its own light: a built-in LED with three levels, for desks where the overhead lighting is not enough.

DocuGuest recognises the camera we ship, names it DocuGuest Camera in the list and selects it automatically the first time you plug it in.

Troubleshooting

Problem Try
No camera Allow camera permission. Close Zoom/Teams/etc. Click Retry camera detection. Try Chrome or Firefox.
Camera connected but no image Unplug and reconnect the USB cable, or use a different USB port.
Not detecting Fit the whole document inside the frame corners, make sure the MRZ is sharp and well-lit, or force the document type from the button at the right of SCAN.
Blurry Click the preview to refocus, adjust distance, improve lighting.

Related