Your iPhone has a built-in document scanner, making it easy to digitize receipts, contracts, business cards, and handwritten notes without a separate scanner. Whether you want to save a document as a PDF, edit text, or share a scanned file, your iPhone provides multiple ways to scan documents effortlessly.
This guide covers how to scan documents using Notes, Files, and third-party apps and tips for editing, saving, and sharing your scans.
How to Scan Documents on iPhone Using the Notes App
The Notes app has a built-in document scanner, allowing you to scan and save documents as PDFs or images quickly.
Steps to Scan a Document in the Notes App:
- Open the Notes app and create a new note or open an existing one.
- Tap the Camera icon, then select Scan Documents.
- Position the document within the frame; the camera will automatically detect and capture it.
- Adjust the corners if needed, then tap Keep Scan.
- Tap Save, and the scan will be stored in your note.
Once scanned, you can add annotations, highlight text, or share the document as a PDF via email or AirDrop.
Scan Documents on iPhone Using the Files App.
If you prefer to save documents directly to iCloud Drive or local storage, you can scan them using the Files app.
Steps to Scan a Document in the Files App:
- Open the Files app and go to the folder to save the scan.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select Scan Documents.
- Hold your iPhone over the document, and it will be automatically scanned.
- Adjust the corners if needed, then tap Keep Scan.
- Once done, tap Save, and the scanned document will be stored in the selected folder.
This method is excellent for organizing scans directly in iCloud or sharing them quickly.
Best Third-Party Scanner Apps for iPhone
For advanced scanning features, third-party apps offer optical character recognition (OCR), cloud storage integration, and better editing tools.
- Adobe Scan: Adobe Scan is a free and robust scanning app that automatically recognizes text (OCR) and saves documents as PDFs. It syncs with Adobe Acrobat for easy editing.
- Microsoft Lens: Microsoft Lens is ideal for scanning notes, whiteboards, and business documents. It seamlessly integrates editing with OneDrive, OneNote, and Microsoft Office apps.
- CamScanner: CamScanner offers advanced OCR, cloud storage, and faxing capabilities. It’s useful for business users needing high-quality scans with text extraction.
If you frequently scan documents, these apps offer more flexibility than the built-in scanner.
How to Edit, Sign, and Annotate Scanned Documents on iPhone
Once you’ve scanned a document, you can edit, highlight, and sign it directly on your iPhone.
- To add text or highlight content, Open the scan in the Notes or Files app, tap the Markup tool (pen icon), and select highlight or text tools.
- To sign a document, Open the scan, tap the Markup tool, select Add Signature, and sign using your finger or Apple Pencil.
- To convert a scan into a PDF, Open the document in the Files app, tap Share, and select Save as PDF.
These built-in tools make it easy to digitally sign contracts, fill out forms, and annotate documents without a computer.
How to Convert Scanned Documents into Editable Text (OCR on iPhone)
iPhones with iOS 15 or later have Live Text, which allows you to extract text from scanned documents.
- Open the Photos app and select the scanned document.
- Tap the Live Text icon (box with lines).
- Highlight the text you want to copy and tap Copy.
- Paste the text into Notes, Messages, or any app.
Apps like Adobe Scan and Microsoft Lens provide better text recognition for more advanced OCR features.
How to Share Scanned Documents via Email, Messages, and AirDrop
Once you’ve scanned a document, you can easily share it through different methods.
- To share via Email: Open the scan, tap Share, select Mail, and send as an attachment.
- To send via Messages: Tap Share, choose Messages, and send it as a PDF or image.
- To use AirDrop: Tap Share, select AirDrop and send it to a nearby Apple device.
This makes it easy to transfer scanned documents between devices or send them instantly to others.
Final Thoughts
Your iPhone is a powerful document scanner, allowing you to digitize paperwork, annotate PDFs, extract text, and share files effortlessly. You can scan and manage documents easily using built-in Notes and Files apps or third-party apps like Adobe Scan and CamScanner.
Now that you know how to scan documents on your iPhone, which method works best for you? Let us know in the comments!
Published on March 12, 2025 under .
