In accordance with the present invention, a method for automatically identifying a scan area by a scanner is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of scanning an original comprising an object, identifying the original to establish a location and a profile of the object in the original, displaying a preview window corresponding to the original, wherein a location and a profile of a confined area is exactly the location and the profile of the object, receiving a framed area selected from the preview window by a user, wherein a portion of the framed area beyond the confined area is automatically removed to generate a scan area, and scanning the scan area. The present invention can also extend to a method for selecting a scan area by a user and a scanner with a feature of automatically identifying a scan area.