The Notes app can scan documents directly without a separate scanner or app
Apple's Notes app includes a built-in document scanner that works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You point your device's camera at a document, and Notes captures it, crops it automatically, and saves it as a PDF or image. This is faster than taking a photo and works better than a photo because the app adjusts contrast and removes shadows.
The scanner is available on any iPhone or iPad running iOS 13 or later, and on Mac running macOS Big Sur or later. You do not need to buy anything or read a separate app — it is built in.
Key Takeaways
- Open Notes, start a new note, tap the camera icon, and select "Scan Documents" to capture a page with your device's camera.
- The app automatically detects the document's edges, straightens it, and adjusts brightness — you can retake or adjust before saving.
- Scanned documents save as PDFs by default and can be organized into folders within Notes or exported to other apps.
- On Mac, the scanner works the same way but requires your Mac to have a camera, or you can scan from an iPhone or iPad nearby.
- The Notes app keeps scans searchable by text if you enable Notes syncing through iCloud, making old documents findable by keyword.
How to scan a single page on iPhone or iPad
Open the Notes app and create a new note or open an existing one where you want the scan to appear. Tap the camera icon at the bottom of the keyboard (it looks like a small square with a camera inside). A menu appears with two options: "Take Photo or Video" and "Scan Documents." Tap "Scan Documents."
Position your device's camera over the document so the entire page fits in the frame. The app shows a yellow border around what it detects as the document. When the border turns green and the app has a clear view, it captures automatically — you do not have to tap a button. If the auto-capture does not happen, tap the white circle at the bottom of the screen to capture manually.
After the capture, the app shows you the scanned image with handles at the corners. Drag these handles to adjust the crop if the app missed part of the document or included extra background. Tap "Keep Scan" when the crop looks right. The app then asks whether to save it as a PDF or image — PDF is the standard choice for documents because it preserves formatting and is easier to share.
How to scan multiple pages into one document
After you keep your first scan, the app returns to the camera view and is ready to capture the next page. Position the next page in the frame and let it auto-capture, or tap the white circle to capture manually. Adjust the crop the same way, then tap "Keep Scan" again.
Repeat this for each page. All scans go into the same note as separate pages within a single PDF file. When you are finished, tap "Save" at the top right. The complete multi-page document is now saved in your note.
If you need to delete a page from the middle of a multi-page scan, tap "Edit" after saving, select the page you want to remove, and tap the trash icon. Then tap "Done" to save the changes.
How to scan on Mac
On Mac, open Notes and create a new note or open an existing one. Click the camera icon in the toolbar at the top of the note (it looks like a small square with a camera). A menu appears with options including "Scan Documents." Click that option.
If your Mac has a built-in camera, the scan window opens when ready. Position your document in front of the camera the same way you would on iPhone — the app detects the edges and auto-captures when it has a clear view. Adjust the crop and click "Keep Scan" to save it.
If your Mac does not have a camera, or you prefer to use your iPhone or iPad instead, click "Scan Documents" and then look for an option to scan from your iPhone or iPad. Your devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network and signed into the same iCloud account. Select your device from the list, and the scan window opens on that device. Scan the document there, and it appears in your Mac's note automatically.
Where scans are stored and how to organize them
Every scan you save stays in the note where you created it. Notes are organized into folders — you can create a folder called "Receipts" or "Medical Records" and move notes into it to keep scans organized by type. Tap the folder icon at the bottom left of the Notes app on iPhone, or click "Folders" in the sidebar on Mac, to create a new folder or move notes around.
If you want to export a scan to another app — like Mail, Messages, or cloud storage — open the note, tap or click the three dots at the top right, and select "Share." Choose the app or service where you want to send it. The scan exports as a PDF file.
Making scans searchable by text
By default, Notes stores scans as image files inside PDFs, which means you cannot search for words inside them. To make scans searchable, you need to enable iCloud syncing for Notes. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, tap iCloud, and turn on Notes. On Mac, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your name, click iCloud, and check the box next to Notes.
Once iCloud syncing is on, Apple's servers process your scans in the background and extract the text. This can take hours or days depending on how many scans you have. After processing is complete, you can search for words that appear in your scans using the search box at the top of Notes. This works best for documents with clear, printed text — handwriting and very small text may not be recognized.
Adjusting brightness and contrast after scanning
After you tap "Keep Scan" but before you tap "Save," the app shows adjustment options at the bottom of the screen. You can swipe left and right through options like "Original," "Black and White," "Grayscale," and "Color." Choose the one that makes the document easiest to read. "Black and White" works well for printed documents and makes file sizes smaller. "Grayscale" preserves shading and is better for photos or documents with colored text.
If you already saved a scan and want to adjust it later, open the note, tap or click the scan, and look for an edit or adjustment option. On iPhone, tap "Edit" at the top right of the scan. On Mac, right-click the scan and select "Edit." You can then adjust the crop, brightness, and color mode, and save the changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I scan documents in Notes without iCloud?
Yes. The scanning feature itself does not require iCloud — scans save to your device when ready. You only need iCloud if you want scans to be searchable by text or if you want them to sync across your devices. Without iCloud, scans stay only on the device where you created them.
What file format do scanned documents save as?
Scans save as PDFs by default, which is the standard format for documents. You can also choose to save as an image (JPEG or HEIF) if you prefer, though PDF is recommended because it preserves the document layout and is easier to share and print.
Can I edit text inside a scanned document?
No. Scans are images or PDFs of the document, not editable text. If you need to edit the content, you would need to use optical character recognition (OCR) software to convert the scan to editable text first, or retype the information into a different app.
How much storage do scans take up?
A single page scan typically takes 500 KB to 2 MB depending on the document size and color mode. Black and white scans are smaller than color scans. If you store scans in iCloud, they count toward your iCloud storage limit (5 GB free, or more with a paid plan).
Can I scan documents from Notes on Android?
No. The Notes app is only available on Apple devices. Android users can use Google Lens (built into Google Photos or the Google app) or Microsoft Office Lens, which offer similar document scanning features.