How to copy both sides of an ID card onto a single sheet
Spanish DNI cards, residency cards (TIE), driving licences and bank cards all need both sides copied for routine identity verification. Office MFPs include a dedicated ID card copy mode that produces both sides on one A4 sheet without manual repositioning. The mode is hidden in different menus on different brands; this guide finds it on each.
What ID card copy mode produces
The mode produces a single A4 sheet with the front of the card in the top half and the back in the bottom half. The cards are scaled to slightly larger than life size for legibility and positioned with consistent margins. The output is recognised by banks, government offices and HR departments as standard identity verification format.
Where to find the mode on each brand
| Manufacturer | Menu path | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Canon imageRUNNER | Copy > Options | "ID Card Copy" or "Tarjeta de identidad" |
| Ricoh IM/MP | Copy > More functions > Combine | "ID Card Copy" |
| Xerox AltaLink/VersaLink | Copy > More features > Layout adjustment | "ID Card Copy" or "Documento de identidad" |
| Konica Minolta bizhub | Copy > Application > Layout | "Card Shot" or "ID Copy" |
| Kyocera TASKalfa | Copy > Function > Combine | "ID Card Copy" |
| HP LaserJet | Copy > More features | "ID Card Copy" |
| Sharp MX series | Copy > Original > Card Shot | "Card Shot" |
The five step workflow
Open Copy mode on the device touchscreen
Lift the document feeder. ID cards copy from the scanner glass directly, not via the ADF (which would push the card through the rollers).
Find and select ID Card Copy from the menu
Use the brand specific menu path from the table above. Some devices show the option directly on the main copy screen; others hide it under a More or Options submenu.
Place the front of the card on the glass, top left corner
Position with the printed side facing down. Align with the corner registration mark on the glass. The card should sit fully within the corner zone, not in the middle of the glass.
Press Start, then follow the on screen prompt to flip the card
The device scans the front, then prompts you to remove the card, flip it over, and place the back side down in the same corner. Press Start again to scan the back.
The device prints both sides on one A4 sheet
The output emerges from the device with front above and back below. Confirm both sides are readable before handing over the copy.
Why ID card copy is more convenient than manual
Without ID card mode, the workflow requires copying each side separately, then physically taping them onto one sheet, then re copying that sheet to produce a clean final version. Three copy operations and 2 minutes of manual handling.
With ID card mode, the workflow is two scans and one print. Total time 20 to 30 seconds. The mode also produces consistent positioning that paper based methods cannot match.
Spanish identity documents this mode handles
The same workflow applies to all standard Spanish identity card formats.
DNI electrónico (Spanish national ID)
Standard credit card size (85.6 × 53.98 mm). Front shows photograph, name, ID number. Back shows address and parents' names. Both sides routinely required for identity verification.
TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero)
Same physical size as DNI. Issued to foreign residents. Both sides required for many administrative procedures.
Permiso de conducir (driving licence)
Credit card size in modern format. Both sides routinely copied for car rental, insurance and employment verification.
Bank cards
Standard card size. Front shows card number and name; back shows signature strip and security code. Copying for fraud reasons should mask the CVV before storage.
Settings worth confirming before high volume use
Three settings improve copy quality for routine ID card work.
Resolution
Set to 600 DPI rather than the 400 DPI default. ID cards contain small text that benefits from higher resolution.
Contrast
Increase contrast one or two notches above default. ID card backgrounds often have security patterns; higher contrast keeps the foreground text readable without amplifying the background.
Auto exposure
Disable auto exposure or set to "Text and photo" rather than "Photo". Auto exposure can over compensate for card backgrounds and make text harder to read.
When the dedicated mode is not available
Some older office MFPs lack a dedicated ID card mode. The workaround uses 2 up copy mode with manual positioning.
Place the front of the card in the top left of the glass. Copy with 2 up mode enabled, scanning to the upper half of the A4 output. Flip the card to the back, place in the same position. Copy again, this time scanning to the lower half. Most office MFPs can produce this in two operations even without the dedicated mode.
Quality threshold
ID card copies are typically used for verification rather than long term archive. 600 DPI scans on a modern MFP produce copies that satisfy nearly all verification requirements. For legal or notarised contexts where archival quality matters, use the device scan to PDF function rather than copy, and store the original digital file rather than a paper copy of a digital scan.