How to scan an ID card, front and back, on one page

Why both sides on one page

The front of an ID card has your photo and name; the back usually has your address or other details. One page with both sides is what most offices expect, because it is printed and filed as a single sheet.

Keep it at real card size

A card blown up to fill a whole page looks wrong and can be rejected. The copy should show the card at its real size, the way a photocopy would, with both sides placed on an A4 page.

Avoid glare

ID cards are often laminated or glossy, and a reflection can hide the very number someone needs to read. Scan in soft, even light rather than under a ceiling lamp, tilt the card slightly if you see a bright spot, and leave the flash off.

Check that everything is readable

Zoom into the scan before you send it. The card number, your name and the expiry date should be sharp. If any of them is blurred, scan that side again.

Share it carefully

• Send it only to the organisation that asked for it, and only through a channel you trust.
• If you hand over a printed copy, write its purpose across it, such as “Copy for bank account opening only”, so it cannot easily be reused for something else.
• Delete copies you no longer need from chats and downloads.

Doing this in Keepscan

Keepscan has an ID card tool: scan the front and back, and it places both sides at real card size on a single A4 page. It is part of the free version. Your scans stay on your phone, and with Keepscan Pro you can also add a password to the PDF (AES-256) before you share it.