Can I use my phone camera to scan a Sudoku puzzle?

Yes. On mobile devices, tap 'Use Camera' to open your rear camera. Position the puzzle in the frame and tap 'Capture'. The scanner will process the image and extract the digits.

Sudoku Scanner — Scan Any Puzzle with Camera or Image Upload

Q: How does the Sudoku scanner work?

Upload a photo of a Sudoku puzzle or use your device camera to capture one. The scanner uses Tesseract.js optical character recognition (OCR) to read each cell's digit, then displays the result in an editable grid.

Q: What image formats are supported?

The scanner accepts any standard image format including JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, and WebP. For best results, use a clear, well-lit photo with the puzzle filling most of the frame.

Q: Is the Sudoku scanner free?

Yes, 100% free. Everything runs in your browser using JavaScript — no image data is sent to any server, and no app download is required.

Click to select or drag & drop an image

JPG, PNG, WebP — any clear photo of a Sudoku puzzle

Or enter manually (81 characters — use 0 or . for blanks):

Sudoku Scanner: Digitize Any Puzzle Instantly

Our free Sudoku scanner turns a printed or handwritten Sudoku puzzle into an editable digital grid in seconds. Upload a photo from your gallery, snap a picture with your device camera, or drag and drop an image — it all works right in your browser with no app to install.

🔍 How It Works

The scanner uses Tesseract.js, a powerful OCR (optical character recognition) engine that runs entirely in your browser. It processes each cell of the 9×9 grid individually, reading the digit and reporting a confidence score. Low-confidence cells are highlighted so you can verify and correct them.

📋 How to Use the Sudoku Scanner

Upload or capture — Click "Upload Image" to select a photo, or "Use Camera" to snap one with your device camera.
Adjust the crop — Drag the crop rectangle to align it with the puzzle grid. The scanner works best when the crop tightly frames the puzzle.
Click "Scan Puzzle" — The OCR engine processes each cell. A progress bar shows status.
Review and correct — Low-confidence cells are highlighted in yellow. Click any cell to correct it.
Send to Solver or Helper — Click "Send to Solver" for the instant answer, or "Send to Helper" for step-by-step technique hints.

📸 Tips for Best Results

Use a clear, well-lit photo with minimal shadows or glare.
Frame the puzzle so it fills most of the image.
Avoid extreme angles — shoot as straight-on as possible.
Printed puzzles scan better than handwritten ones.
High contrast (dark digits on white paper) gives the best accuracy.

🔒 Privacy

Your images are processed entirely in your browser. No image data is ever uploaded to any server. The OCR engine (Tesseract.js) runs as JavaScript in your tab, and the image never leaves your device.

🎮 What to Do After Scanning

Send to Solver — Get the complete solution instantly.
Send to Helper — Learn to solve it step-by-step with technique explanations.
Edit & Export — Correct any OCR mistakes, then export the 81-character string to share.

🎮 More Sudoku Tools & Puzzles

Sudoku Solver — Instant solutions for any puzzle.
Sudoku Helper — Step-by-step hints with technique explanations.
Classic 9×9 Sudoku — Play puzzles at four difficulty levels.
Blog & Tips — In-depth strategy guides for every technique.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Sudoku scanner work?

The scanner uses Tesseract.js, an open-source OCR engine that runs in your browser. It processes the image cell by cell, recognizing digits 1–9 and leaving cells blank if no digit is detected. Everything happens locally — no data is sent to any server.

What image formats are supported?

Any standard image format your browser supports: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, WebP, and more. For best accuracy, use a clear, high-contrast photo with good lighting.

Can I use my phone camera?

Yes! Tap "Use Camera" to activate your device camera. Position the puzzle in the guide frame and tap "Capture". On most phones, the rear camera is used automatically for best quality.

Is the Sudoku scanner free?

Yes, 100% free with no sign-up, paywall, or app to install. All image processing happens in your browser using JavaScript.