---
Source: https://docs.microblink.com/blinkid/v7/image-return
Title: Extract document images
Description: How to retrieve document and camera frame images from a BlinkID scanning session
---
# Extract document images
{/* TODO the code samples below have not been tested */}
BlinkID can return images alongside extraction results.
This is useful when you need to pass the captured document images to a downstream service—such as the [BlinkID Verify API](/verify)—or store them for audit purposes.
## Types of images
BlinkID can return two distinct types of images:
- **Input images** (raw camera frames): the original, unprocessed frames captured by the camera, including the background around the document.
- **Document images** (cropped): perspective-corrected images tightly framed on the document itself.
If you are passing images to [Verify](/verify), use raw input images.
## Enable image return
Set `returnInputImages: true` in your scanning settings:
```typescript
const settings: ScanningSettings = {
returnInputImages: true,
};
```
To also receive cropped document or face images, configure `croppedImageSettings`:
```typescript
const settings: ScanningSettings = {
returnInputImages: true,
croppedImageSettings: {
returnDocumentImage: true,
returnFaceImage: true,
},
};
```
Set `returnInputImages = true` inside `ScanningSettings`:
```kotlin
val sessionSettings = BlinkIdSessionSettings(
scanningSettings = ScanningSettings(
returnInputImages = true
)
)
```
Pass `sessionSettings` when launching the scanning screen:
```kotlin
BlinkIdCameraScanningScreen(
blinkIdSdk = sdk,
sessionSettings = sessionSettings,
onScanningSuccess = { result -> /* handle result */ },
onScanningCancelled = { /* handle cancellation */ }
)
```
Set `returnInputImages: true` inside `ScanningSettings`:
```swift
let analyzer = try await BlinkIDAnalyzer(
sdk: sdkInstance,
blinkIdSessionSettings: BlinkIDSessionSettings(
scanningSettings: ScanningSettings(
returnInputImages: true
)
),
eventStream: BlinkIDEventStream()
)
```
## Access images on the result
The result contains `inputImageFront`, `inputImageBack`, and `inputImageBarcode` fields with the raw `ImageData` frames.
Encode to PNG before sending to an API:
```typescript
const canvas = document.createElement("canvas");
canvas.width = result.inputImageFront.width;
canvas.height = result.inputImageFront.height;
canvas.getContext("2d")!.putImageData(result.inputImageFront, 0, 0);
const base64 = canvas.toDataURL("image/png").split(",")[1];
```
Call `inputImage(scanningSide)` on the result to get the raw frame for each side:
```kotlin
val frontBitmap = scanningResult.inputImage(ScanningSide.FIRST)?.bitmap
val backBitmap = scanningResult.inputImage(ScanningSide.SECOND)?.bitmap
fun encodeToPng(bitmap: Bitmap): String {
val stream = ByteArrayOutputStream()
bitmap.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.PNG, 100, stream)
return Base64.encodeToString(stream.toByteArray(), Base64.DEFAULT)
}
```
Call `getInputImage(scanningSide:)` on the result to get the raw frame for each side:
```swift
if let front = scanningResult.getInputImage(scanningSide: .first),
let pngData = front.uiImage?.pngData() {
let base64 = pngData.base64EncodedString()
// pass base64 to your API
}
if let back = scanningResult.getInputImage(scanningSide: .second),
let pngData = back.uiImage?.pngData() {
let base64 = pngData.base64EncodedString()
}
```
## Use lossless compression
Do not use lossy compression (such as JPEG) on images you intend to pass to a verification backend.
Lossy compression degrades image quality in ways that can affect analysis.
Encode to **PNG** instead, as shown in the examples above.
## Do not post-process images
Pass the images as-is from the SDK result.
Do not crop, resize, rotate, or otherwise modify them after capture.
Post-processing can break assumptions that downstream services make about image integrity.
Last updated on May 18, 2026