What application do you utilize for viewing PDF files on your smartphone? While Acrobat and Foxit are popular, Google's new solution stands out as not only a PDF reader but also a document organizer and scanner. Its functionality enables you to have most of the documents you need on your phone.
What Is Google Trying to Achieve with Stack?
Stack is a project developed by Google under Google Area 120. This initiative focuses on ideas where Google employees dedicate 100% of their time to their supported ideas under the 20% Project. The main focus of this PDF application is simplicity, making it easy to understand due to its intuitive interface and lack of unnecessary features.
How to Obtain Stack
1. Visit Google Play and search for Stack by Google, then proceed with the installation
2. Select the Google account you wish to use, if you have multiple accounts
3. Grant the app permission to access media files on your device as requested
4. Choose Allow if you want new documents to be added automatically (or Deny if not)
5. Read through the introductory pages and tap Done.
Congratulations! You now have Stack and can experience how it manages your paper documents.
Scanning Documents with Stack
The greatest feature of Stack is how easy it is to add various documents like checks, receipts, IDs, and more that are typically stored on paper. Upon installing the app, you may find it empty, with Home and All Documents tabs. Click the "+" button in the bottom right corner, then select "Camera" and allow access when prompted.
Using the in-app camera, scan the document. After scanning, you can add additional pages by scanning more papers, adjust the scan's color, crop, or rotate the document. Finally, save the document and provide a name when prompted.
Organizing Documents with Stack
One of the most convenient aspects of Stack is its sorting system. You can choose the relevant stack immediately after creating a document. Instead of folders, it uses a tag system allowing a document to belong to multiple categories.
You can also create custom categories within the app by tapping "Edit" under your profile icon. The app offers two lists: Your Stacks and Suggested Stacks. To transfer a stack to another category, simply click on it. Under Suggested Stacks, custom stacks with personalized names can be created.
When searching for a specific document, you can look it up in a relevant category or use the built-in search feature that scans the document data. Entering a name or keyword will narrow down the list to find the desired document quickly.
Additional Features
In addition to scanned documents, Stack allows you to import existing PDF files by automatically importing photos. Enabling this option ensures that any scanned document on your device is imported into Stack. Within the app, you can customize the category and appearance of the documents.
To enhance security, the app offers Face Lock or fingerprint protection, in addition to the security features already on your device. You can also easily secure all documents by uploading them to Google Drive or delete all data with a single button.
Stacking Up My Documents!
Apps like Stack streamline the document handling process for essential documents. Are you currently using it? Do you believe Stack manages documents better than other PDF applications? What improvements would you suggest? How well does it handle multi-page documents? If you have experience with this app, share your thoughts in the comments!
