In a world where almost everything has been digitised, being handed a physical piece of paper can feel like an inconvenience. Whether you need to sign a contract, submit a physical receipt for expenses, or save a page from a book, you might think you need access to a bulky, flatbed scanner. However, learning how to scan documents using your iPhone is a simple trick that turns your mobile device into a powerful, high-resolution pocket scanner.
In this guide, we will show you how to use the hidden scanning feature built directly into the native Apple Notes app to capture, crop, and share perfect PDF copies of any physical document.
How to Access the Document Scanner
While there are dozens of third-party scanning apps available on the App Store, the best tool for the job is completely free and already installed on your iPhone.
- Open the native Apple Notes app.
- Create a new note by tapping the square-and-pencil icon in the bottom right corner, or open an existing note where you want to save the document.
- Look at the toolbar above your keyboard and tap the Camera icon.
- A small menu will appear. Tap Scan Documents.
Your camera will immediately open, but you will notice it behaves slightly differently than the regular Camera app.
Scanning and Cropping Your Document
For the best results, place your physical document on a flat surface with a contrasting background (for example, a white piece of paper on a dark wooden table). This helps the software identify the edges of the page.
- Hold your iPhone steady directly over the document.
- A translucent yellow box will appear on your screen, attempting to automatically find the edges of the paper.
- If your phone is held still, it will often capture the scan automatically. If it does not, you can manually press the white shutter button.
- If you took the photo manually, you will be taken to an editing screen. Drag the four magnifying-glass corners to perfectly align with the physical corners of your document.
- Tap Keep Scan.
- You can now scan a second, third, or fourth page. They will all be combined into a single document.
- When you are finished scanning all your pages, tap Save in the bottom right corner.
How to Share or Export the Scanned PDF
Once you have saved the scan, it is embedded directly into your note as a single, multi-page PDF document.
- To send it to someone, tap the scanned document to open it in full screen.
- Tap the Share icon (the square with an arrow pointing up) in the top right corner.
- From the Share Sheet, you can email the PDF, send it via Messages, save it to your Files app, or print it directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I scan documents directly into the Files app?
Yes. If you prefer to bypass the Notes app entirely, open the Files app on your iPhone, tap the Browse tab, tap the three dots (…) in the top right corner, and select Scan Documents. The process is identical, but the final PDF saves directly to your iCloud Drive.
How do I digitally sign a scanned document?
Once you have scanned a document, tap to open it, tap the Share icon, and select Markup. You can use the pen tools to physically draw your signature, or tap the plus (+) icon to add a pre-saved signature.
By mastering the built-in document scanner, you can eliminate paper clutter and streamline your administrative tasks directly from your iPhone.
