Scanner.cam Free online document scanner
Use-Case Guides

How to Scan Documents for DigiLocker and Government Portals

By Scanner.cam Team · Updated 2 Nov 2026 · 5 min read
Quick answer

To scan documents for DigiLocker, scan each paper document to a clear PDF or image, keep every file under 10 MB, and upload it through DigiLocker's Uploaded Documents section. DigiLocker accepts PDF, JPEG, and PNG uploads, so a clean phone scan works — but remember that an uploaded scan is your own stored copy, not an officially issued document.

How to Scan Documents for DigiLocker and Government Portals — Scanner.cam guide

Issued documents, such as a driving licence pushed by the issuing department, arrive in DigiLocker automatically and carry their own verification.

That distinction matters before you start. Many people scan a certificate expecting it to become a verified DigiLocker record; it will not. What uploading gives you is a tidy, shareable copy in the same locker as your issued documents, which is still useful for applications, renewals, and anywhere a portal asks you to attach a copy. This guide covers the scan itself, the format and size rules, and how the same scan serves other government portals.

Issued documents vs uploaded documents

DigiLocker has two kinds of documents. Issued documents are sent directly by government departments — transport, education boards, and similar issuers — once you link your Aadhaar-linked account, and they appear as verified records. Uploaded documents are files you add yourself, such as an older certificate that was never issued digitally, a personal record, or a copy you want to keep alongside your official ones.

For uploaded documents, DigiLocker's published limits are straightforward: each file must be under 10 MB, and accepted formats are PDF, JPEG, and PNG. Your account includes 1 GB of storage for uploads. If a scan comes out larger than 10 MB, shrink it before uploading — a phone camera photo at full resolution is the usual culprit, and a scanned PDF at a sensible resolution is almost always smaller.

Scan it right the first time

Open Scanner.cam in your phone's browser — nothing to install, and the scan is processed on your device rather than uploaded to a server. Lay the document flat on a plain surface, in even daylight or bright room light, with all four corners visible and no shadow across the text. Capture the front, then the back for two-sided documents such as a licence or a certificate with stamps on the reverse.

Check the scan at full zoom before you save it: is every line readable, are the edges cut off, is there glare on a laminated card? Retake a bad page now, because a blurry upload helps nobody and a rejected application costs you the whole round trip. For multi-page documents, keep the pages in order in a single PDF so the uploaded file reads like the original document, not a pile of loose images.

Format, size, and naming checklist

Try it as you readOpen the scanner in a new tab and follow along — free, no signup.
Open Scanner.cam

Upload to DigiLocker, step by step

Sign in to DigiLocker on the web or in the app, open the Uploaded Documents section, and choose Upload. Select the scanned file, pick the document type from the list if one matches, and confirm. Repeat for each document, and check that each upload opens correctly after it lands — a file that looks fine on your phone can occasionally render oddly after upload.

Once uploaded, you can share a document from DigiLocker when a service asks for it, rather than emailing scans around. For other government portals, the same scan usually works: most Indian government upload forms accept PDF or JPEG, but always read the specific upload field first, because some portals set a smaller size limit or accept only one format. When a portal's limit is tighter than DigiLocker's 10 MB, compress the scan to fit that portal's number, not DigiLocker's.

Common mistakes that waste a trip

The most common failures are easy to avoid. Scanning only the front of a two-sided card, uploading a photo with glare across the photo or signature area, and submitting a file over the size limit are the top three. A fourth is assuming an uploaded scan counts as an issued, verified document — if a service specifically asks for an issued DigiLocker document, an upload will not satisfy it, and you need the department-issued version instead.

Finally, never upload someone else's documents to your locker, and avoid uploading sensitive scans over public Wi-Fi or from a shared device. Your locker is tied to your identity, and the documents inside it should be yours alone.

Frequently asked questions

What file formats does DigiLocker accept for uploads?
DigiLocker accepts PDF, JPEG, and PNG files for documents you upload yourself. PDF is the best choice for multi-page documents; JPEG or PNG suits a single card or page.

What is the maximum file size for a DigiLocker upload?
Each uploaded file must be under 10 MB. If your scan is larger, compress it or lower the scan resolution before uploading, and check legibility again afterwards.

Does uploading a scan make it a verified DigiLocker document?
No. Uploaded documents are your own stored copies. Verified, issued documents arrive directly from the issuing government department and are a separate category in your locker.

Can I use the same scan for other government portals?
Usually yes, but check each portal's upload field first. Limits and accepted formats vary by portal, and some set a smaller size limit than DigiLocker's 10 MB.

Should I scan both sides of a document?
Yes, for any two-sided document. Keep both sides in one file, in order, so the uploaded copy matches the original exactly.

Try it right now — free

Open Scanner.cam in your browser, scan, and download. No signup, no watermark, nothing uploads.

Open Scanner.cam
Scan documents free — no app, no signupScan Now