Your iPhone has a built-in scanner you don't need to read

Your iPhone can scan documents, receipts, whiteboards, and photos without installing a separate app. The Notes app and Files app both have scanning tools built in. You open the camera, point it at the document, and the phone automatically crops, straightens, and saves the scan as a PDF or image. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.

The scanner works on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later. If your phone is older than an iPhone XS, you may not have access to the newest scanning features, but you can still use the basic document camera in Notes.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Notes app, tap the camera icon, and select "Scan Documents" to capture and save a PDF in seconds.
  • The iPhone automatically detects the document edges, straightens the image, and converts it to black-and-white text for clarity.
  • You can scan multiple pages into a single PDF by tapping "Keep Scanning" after each page.
  • Scans save to Notes by default, but you can also save them to Files, Mail, or send them directly to another app.

Scanning a document in the Notes app

Open the Notes app and create a new note or open an existing one. Tap the camera icon at the bottom of the keyboard, then tap "Scan Documents" from the menu. Point your iPhone's camera at the document you want to scan. The phone will automatically detect the edges and highlight them with a yellow border.

When the document is framed correctly, your iPhone takes the photo automatically. You will see the scan appear on your screen with a yellow border around the detected edges. Tap "Keep Scanning" if you have more pages, or tap "Save" to finish. The scan saves as a PDF inside your note.

After you save, you can tap the scan to edit it. You can rotate pages, delete pages, reorder them, or adjust the filter (black and white, grayscale, or color). Tap "Done" when you are finished editing.

Scanning through the Files app

Open the Files app and navigate to the folder where you want to save the scan. Tap the three dots in the top right corner, then tap "Scan Documents." The camera opens and works the same way as the Notes scanner. Point at your document, let the phone detect the edges, and tap the shutter button or wait for the automatic capture.

After scanning, you can add more pages or tap "Save" to store the PDF in your chosen folder. The Files app is useful if you want to organize scans into specific folders or if you prefer not to mix them with your notes.

Scanning multiple pages into one PDF

Both the Notes and Files scanners let you add multiple pages to a single document. After the first page scans, tap "Keep Scanning" instead of "Save." Position the next page in front of the camera and let the phone detect it. Repeat for as many pages as you need.

When you are done, tap "Save" and all pages combine into one PDF. You can reorder pages after saving by tapping the scan and using the page thumbnails on the left side. You can also delete individual pages or rotate them if they came out sideways.

Sharing and moving your scans

Once a scan is saved in Notes, tap and hold it to see sharing options. You can copy it, duplicate it, or share it to Mail, Messages, AirDrop, or other apps. You can also tap the share icon (arrow pointing out of a box) to send it directly to another person or service.

If your scan is in Files, tap and hold the PDF to move it to another folder, duplicate it, or share it. You can also open it in Mail, Messages, or any app that accepts PDF files. Scans are just regular PDFs, so they work with any app that handles documents.

Adjusting scan quality and appearance

After you save a scan, tap it to open the editing menu. At the bottom, you will see filter options: "Auto" (color), "Black and White," "Grayscale," and "Photo." Black and White makes text crisp and reduces file size, which is useful for contracts or forms. Grayscale is a middle ground. Photo keeps the original colors.

You can also rotate individual pages by tapping the rotate icon, or crop the edges if the automatic detection missed something. These changes save automatically, so you do not have to export or re-save the file.

When to use the camera app instead

The built-in document scanner is best for formal documents, receipts, and anything you want to keep as a PDF. If you just want a quick photo of something—a whiteboard, a sign, or a handwritten note—the regular Camera app is faster. You can also use the Camera app to take a photo and then convert it to a scan later by opening it in Notes and using the "Scan Documents" feature on an existing photo.

If you need advanced features like OCR (optical character recognition, which lets you search text inside scans) or cloud storage, third-party scanner apps like Adobe Scan or Microsoft Lens offer those tools. But for most everyday scanning, the built-in option is reliable and requires no setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. The iPhone scanner works on documents held at an angle or even in your hand. The automatic edge detection adjusts for perspective, so the final scan looks straight even if you held the phone at a slant. For best results, keep the document as still as possible and make sure the lighting is even.

Where do my scans save if I use the Notes app?

Scans save inside the note you were editing. They appear as embedded PDFs that you can tap to view or edit. If you want to move a scan to a different location, copy it from the note and paste it into Files or Mail. You can also export it by tapping and holding the scan and selecting "Share."

Can I edit text inside a scanned PDF?

The built-in iPhone scanner does not convert text to editable words. If you need to edit the actual text, you would need a third-party app or a computer. However, you can mark up the PDF by tapping it and using the markup tools to add notes, signatures, or highlights.

What file format does the iPhone scanner create?

Scans save as PDF files by default. PDFs work on any device and preserve the layout and formatting of the original document. You cannot change the format in the built-in scanner, but you can convert a PDF to another format using a computer or a third-party app if needed.

How much storage do scans use?

A single-page black-and-white scan typically uses 200 KB to 1 MB of storage, depending on the document size and complexity. Color scans use more space. If you scan many documents, they can add up, so consider moving old scans to cloud storage or a computer to free up iPhone space.