How to Scan a Document Using Your iPhone

The simplest way: use the Notes app that came with your phone

Your iPhone has a built-in document scanner in the Notes app — you do not need to read anything. Open Notes, start a new note, tap the camera icon at the bottom, then tap "Scan Documents". Point your phone at the document, and the camera will automatically detect the edges and take a photo. You can scan multiple pages into a single document by holding the phone steady over each page in turn.

Once you have scanned all pages, tap "Save" and the document appears in your note as a PDF. From there, you can email it, share it to cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Google Drive, or send it to another app. The scanner automatically crops the image, adjusts the angle if you held the phone at a slight tilt, and converts it to black and white so text is sharp and readable.

Key Takeaways

• The Notes app's document scanner is free and built into every iPhone — open Notes, tap the camera icon, then "Scan Documents".
• The scanner automatically detects page edges, straightens tilted photos, and converts to black and white, so you do not need to adjust settings.
• You can scan multiple pages into one PDF by scanning each page in sequence without closing the scanner.
• After scanning, you can email the PDF, save it to cloud storage, or open it in another app like Mail or Google Drive.

Scanning multiple pages into one document

When you are in the scanner and have taken the first photo, do not tap "Save" yet. Instead, tap the thumbnail of the page you just scanned at the bottom left, then position the next page in front of the camera. The scanner will detect it and add it as page 2. Repeat for as many pages as you need.

If you make a mistake — the page is upside down, or you scanned the same page twice — tap the thumbnail again and you will see all the pages you have scanned so far. Tap the three dots next to any page to delete it, rotate it, or retake it. Once all pages are in the right order and orientation, tap "Save".

Where the PDF goes after you save it

When you tap "Save", the PDF is stored in the note itself. To move it somewhere more permanent, open the note and tap and hold on the PDF thumbnail. You will see options to copy it, save it to Files, or share it. Tapping "Save to Files" lets you choose a folder — you might create one called "Scans" or "Documents" to keep them organized.

If you want to email the scan when ready, tap the share icon (the arrow pointing out of a box) and select Mail. If you want to send it to Google Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud service, tap share and look for that app in the list. If the app you want is not showing, scroll down and tap "More" to see additional options.

Getting better scans: lighting and positioning

The scanner works best when the document is well-lit and flat. Natural light from a window is better than overhead lights, which can create glare. Position the phone so you are looking straight down at the document — not at an angle — and hold it about 6 to 8 inches away. The scanner will show you a blue outline when it detects the page edges correctly.

If the scanner is struggling to find the edges, the document may be too dark, the background is too similar in color to the paper, or there is glare on the page. Try moving to a different light source, clearing clutter from around the document, or tilting the phone slightly to reduce reflections. Once the blue outline appears solid and covers the whole page, tap the shutter button.

Using other scanning apps if Notes does not work for you

The Notes app scanner handles most everyday documents well, but some people prefer third-party apps for specific reasons. Adobe Scan is free and produces very clean PDFs; it also recognizes text in scanned documents so you can search for words later. Microsoft Lens is another free option that works well if you plan to store scans in OneDrive or SharePoint.

These apps work the same way as Notes — point, scan, save — but they give you more control over image quality settings and where files are stored. If you find yourself scanning documents regularly, trying one of these apps costs nothing and may save you time. For occasional scans, the Notes app is usually enough.

Turning a scan into editable text

If you need to edit the text in a scanned document — not just read it — you have two paths. Some scanning apps like Adobe Scan include optical character recognition (OCR), which means they read the text in the image and convert it to actual text you can copy and edit. When you save a scan in Adobe Scan, you can tap on the text and copy it.

The Notes app does not do this automatically, but you can use a separate app. Google Lens (free, built into Google Photos) lets you point your phone at a scanned document and extract the text. Take a photo of your scan with the regular camera, open Google Photos, find the photo, tap "Lens", and the app will read the text and let you copy it. This is slower than scanning with OCR built in, but it works if you already have scans saved.

Organizing and backing up your scans

If you scan documents regularly, create a system now so you do not lose them later. The simplest approach is to save all scans to a cloud service — iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox — rather than keeping them only on your phone. This way, if your phone is lost or damaged, your documents are still safe.

When you save a scan to Files, create a folder structure that makes sense to you: "2024 Tax Documents", "Medical Records", "Receipts", and so on. Name each scan clearly — "2024 W2 from Acme Corp" instead of "Scan 1" — so you can find it later without opening it. If you use iCloud Drive, the scans sync automatically to your Mac or iPad, so you can access them from any device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I scan a document that is not flat on a table?

Yes, but the quality will be lower. The scanner works best when the document is flat and you are holding the phone directly above it. If you are scanning a page in a book or a document that is folded, the scanner will still detect it, but the text may look warped or blurry. For important documents, flatten them first if you can.

What file format does the iPhone scanner save in?

The Notes app saves scans as PDF files. PDF is a standard format that opens on any computer, phone, or tablet, so you can share your scans with anyone. If you need a different format like JPG or PNG, you can convert the PDF using a free online converter or a third-party app.

Does the scan include my handwriting if I write on the document?

Yes. The scanner photographs whatever is on the page — printed text, handwriting, signatures, drawings. It treats everything the same way. If you want to sign a document after scanning it, you can do that in a separate app like Preview (on Mac) or Adobe Acrobat Reader (on iPhone), which lets you add a signature to a PDF.

Can I scan a colored document, or does it have to be black and white?

You can scan colored documents. The Notes app automatically converts scans to black and white to make text sharp and reduce file size, but the content is preserved. If you need to keep the original colors — for example, if you are scanning a colored photo or a document with color highlighting — use Adobe Scan or Microsoft Lens instead, which offer a color mode.

What happens if I accidentally close the scanner before saving?

If you close the scanner without tapping "Save", the pages you scanned are discarded and you will have to scan them again. There is no undo. If you have scanned several pages and realize one is wrong, tap the thumbnail to review them before you save, and delete the bad page before tapping "Save".