How to Scan a Document on an iPhone

In the past, digitizing a physical document required buying a bulky, expensive desktop scanner. Today, the camera on the back of your iPhone is so advanced that it can capture text with stunning clarity. However, simply taking a standard photograph of a piece of paper usually results in a messy, shadowy image that looks extremely unprofessional.

To create a perfectly flat, perfectly lit PDF document that looks like it came out of a corporate office scanner, you must use Apple’s built-in document scanning software. Amazingly, Apple does not have a dedicated “Scanner” app. Instead, they hide this powerful feature inside two apps you already use every day: Notes and Files.

Method 1: Scan Using the Notes App

This is the best method if you want to scan a receipt, a business card, or a quick contract and save it alongside some typed text for future reference.

1. Open the Apple Notes app.
2. Create a new note by tapping the compose icon (the square with a pencil) in the bottom right corner.
3. Above the keyboard, tap the Camera icon.
4. From the drop-down menu, select Scan Documents.
5. The camera viewfinder will open. Hold your iPhone directly over the physical document.
6. The Magic Step: Ensure the document is resting on a contrasting background (e.g., a white piece of paper on a dark brown wooden table). A yellow translucent box will appear on the screen as the iPhone automatically detects the edges of the paper.
7. Hold the phone perfectly still. The iPhone will automatically take the picture, crop out the table, adjust the contrast to make the text pop, and drop the scan into the corner of your screen.
8. If you have a multi-page document, simply place the next page in front of the camera and let it scan automatically.
9. When you are finished, tap Save in the bottom right corner.

The scanned document is now embedded in your note. You can tap the share icon (the square with an upward arrow) to immediately email it or text it to someone as a standard PDF file.

Method 2: Scan Using the Files App (To iCloud Drive)

If you are scanning tax documents, signed leases, or medical records, you probably do not want them cluttering up your Notes app. You likely want them saved directly as PDF files in your iCloud Drive so you can easily organize them into folders and access them from your Mac.

1. Open the Apple Files app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the Browse tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Ensure you are in the iCloud Drive location.
4. Look at the very top right corner of the screen and tap the three dots inside a circle.
5. Select Scan Documents from the drop-down menu.
6. Just like the Notes app, the camera will open and automatically capture, crop, and flatten the document when you hold the phone still.
7. Tap Save when finished.

The Files app will immediately save the scan as a brand new, standalone PDF document in whichever folder you were currently viewing. You can long-press on the file to rename it (e.g., “Tax Return 2024.pdf”).

Troubleshooting: Manual Mode

Occasionally, if you are trying to scan a white receipt on a white table, the iPhone’s automatic edge detection will fail, and the yellow box will rapidly jump around the screen.

If this happens, look at the top right corner of the scanning screen and tap the word Auto to change it to Manual. You will now have to manually press the white shutter button to take the photo. After taking the picture, you can drag the four corners of a magnifying glass tool to perfectly align the crop lines with the edges of your document before saving.