Scanners are devices that convert physical documents and images into digital formats. They work by capturing the details of a document using light sensors, which then create a digital representation that can be stored, edited, or shared on computers. Common types of scanners include flatbed scanners, sheet-fed scanners, and handheld scanners. Scanners are widely used in offices, schools, and homes for tasks like digitizing paperwork, archiving photos, and creating PDFs. They often come with software that allows users to enhance images, perform optical character recognition (OCR), and organize scanned files for easy access.