Scan documents on your iPhone in the Notes app.
Sofia Pitt
You don’t need a bulky machine to scan and sign documents. Instead, you can use your iPhone or iPad to scan a document and, in less than a minute, convert it to a PDF and send it anywhere.
You may have a headache filling out forms for a doctor visit, signing a lease, or submitting a contract. All of this can be done in the Apple Notes app, which comes pre-downloaded on iPhone and iPad.
And using scanning makes the document look like an actual scan, not just an image of a sheet of paper. Additionally, you can filter it in black and white, digitally sign documents, and combine multiple pages into one PDF file.
Here’s what you do.
How to Scan Documents on Your iPhone or iPad
Scan documents on your iPhone in the Notes app.
Sofia Pitt
Before you start: It’s best to place your document on a contrasting background so it’s easier for your iPhone or iPad to distinguish between the document and the background. For example, if it’s a white sheet of paper, sweep it over a dark wooden table top.
- Open the Notes App and click the paper and pen icon in the bottom right corner to create a new note.
- Tap the Camera icon and click Scan Document.
- Place the document under your iPhone or iPad camera lens. An orange highlighted box will appear on the perimeter of your document and the scan will be performed automatically. You can also press the shutter button or one of the volume buttons to take a photo if it doesn’t scan right away.
- If the document size stays the same, you can click or drag each corner of the scan box to align so that only the document is captured, not the background.
- If you are scanning a multi-page PDF file, you can keep scanning from page to page so that only one file is created.
- Tap Save after you’ve finished capturing your scan.
How to Edit Your iPhone or iPad Scans
Send a document after scanning on the Notes app on iPhone.
Sofia Pitt
Now it’s time to edit your scan. You can rename it, export it as a PDF, print it, and more. Here’s how to do it.
- To rename a document: Tap the file name at the top of the scan.
- To add a page: Once the document is saved, an option will appear at the bottom of the image allowing you to add pages by tapping the plus icon in the lower left corner.
- You can cut document by selecting the crop icon, which looks like a square. This will open the four-point crop box with a circular magnifying glass that helps you precisely crop your document.
- To adjust your document orientation: Select the rotate icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- To submit your document: Click the Export button in the top right corner of the scan. Once you’ve selected Export, you’ll also see the option to print, markup, copy, share, or save the PDF to your file.
- To sign a PDF: Tap the Markup option after clicking Export. Press the + button at the bottom right and click Signature. Here you can add a saved signature or create a new one. Your signature size is adjustable and you can place it anywhere you want on the document.
That’s it!
