Definition of the word scan into

The term "scan into" originally emerged in the 1990s with the rise of personal computers and scanning technology. At that time, scanners were still a relatively new invention that allowed users to digitize printed documents, photographs, and other physical media. The verb form "scan" already existed as a noun and technical term in the context of radar and sonar systems. But when it came to describing the process of digitally converting images and documents, a new term was needed. The verb "scan" was extended to mean "to convert an image or document into digital format by using a scanner" in the same way that "photograph" had been extended to mean "to capture a scene or image using a camera." Since then, the phrase "scan into" or "scan into the computer" has become a common expression in everyday language and is often used alongside other computer-related terms such as "upload," "download," and "export." While newer digitizing methods such as phone cameras and scanning apps have since emerged, "scan into" remains a widely used phrase in many contexts, particularly in the areas of graphic design, photography, and document management.