Google PhotoScan is a companion app for Google Photos that allows users to instantly scan and digitize printed photos. PhotoScan can not only capture printed photos in digital form, but can also automatically correct edges, adjust perspective, and remove glare and reflections.

The idea behind the app was to create a photo scanner that works with existing photo storage and sharing applications. That means you can capture images with PhotoScan and save them to Google Photos, Dropbox or another cloud storage service.

One of the best features of PhotoScan is that as long as you have your smartphone with you, you have a photo scanner with you. You can use the camera on your device to take a picture of a photo, but if you’ve ever tried that, you know it’s hard to combat glare, ambient light, and flash. Getting the photo aligned properly is also a chore.

Google PhotoScan removes those obstacles when it comes to digitizing old photos. It works by capturing an image from multiple angles and then stitching the image together, without glare, into one complete photo. In the process, the app aligns the photo’s edges and orientation so that your photo always appears correctly. In the event that PhotoScan captures too much of the surface your photo is resting on, it’s easy to adjust.