In this guide, I will show you how to scan documents on an iPhone. I will talk about what the iPhone scanner is and show you where to find it. I will also show you how to copy, save, sign and send the documents you’ve scanned on your iPhone.

How to scan on iPhone? – The fast way!

1. Locate the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Press and hold the Notes app icon until a menu appears.
3. Select Scan Document from the menu.
4. Put the document you wish to scan on a flat surface.
5. Hold the iPhone above the document and with the camera pointing down.
6. Move the phone until you see a yellow box around the document.
7. The iPhone will automatically scan the document.
8. Either tap the Save button to save or see below to crop your document.

How to scan on iPhone? – Option 2

This is an alternative method for opening the iPhone scanner.

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the new note button. Located in bottom right corner.
3. Now tap the camera button.
4. Select Scan Documents.
5. Put the document you wish to scan on a flat surface.
6. Hold the iPhone above the document and with the camera pointing down.
7. Move the phone until you see a yellow box around the document.
8. The iPhone will automatically scan the document.
9. Either tap the Save button to save or see below to crop your document.

How to manually scan from iPhone?

If the document shape is not uniform then you may need to manually scan the document. To do this, line up the document and press the shutter button or set the scanner to manual mode as shown below.

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the new note button. Located in bottom right corner.
3. Now tap the camera button.
4. Select Scan Documents.
5. Tap the Auto button to switch to manual mode. Located in the top right of the screen.
6. Put the document you wish to scan on a flat surface.
7. Hold the iPhone above the document and with the camera pointing down.
8. Move the phone until you see a yellow box around the document or you are happy with the scan.
9. Tap the shutter button to manually scan.
10. 4 circles will appear at the corners of your scanned document.
11. Using your finger drag the circles to fit the document.
12. Tap Keep Scan.
13. Tap Save.

How to crop the scanned document?

1. Once a document has been scanned it will appear in the bottom right of the screen, tap to open.
2. Tap the Crop button. Located in the lower right corner.
3. 4 circles will appear at the corners of your scanned document.
4. Using your finger drag the circles to fit the document.
5. Tap Done to confirm crop. Located in the bottom right corner.
6. Tap Done. Located in the top right corner.
7. Tap Save.

How do I scan multiple documents?

It is easy to take multiple scans as the scanner will continue to scan until you press the save button.

If you want to add another page to an existing scanned document you can do this by opening the document and then pressing the plus button in the bottom right of the screen.

How to edit the scanned document?

After each scan the Notes app will move a copy of the document to the bottom right of the screen. If you tap this image it will open up the edit options as shown below.

1. Crop the image.
2. Change the image to colour, greyscale, black & white, or photo.
3. Rotate the image.
4. Delete the image.
5. Click done to confirm edit.

How to edit a scanned document that is already saved?

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Open the note containing the scanning document you wish to edit.
3. Tap the document to bring up the edit menu.
4. The menu will be the same as above with the added option to add another scan by tapping the plus button.

How do I sign the scanned document?

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Open the note containing the scanning document you wish to sign.
3. Tap the document on the screen to reveal share button.
4. Tap the share button, located on top right of screen.
5. A menu will pop up at the bottom. Scroll and select Markup.
6. Tap the Add button located in the bottom right of the screen.
7. Select Signature from the menu.
8. Sign your name using your finger or apple pen. Note: You can turn phone sideways.
9. Tap Done to save.
10. Resize and position the signature box where you want it to be on the page.
11. Tap Done to save changes.
12. Tap Done to close.

Note: Once you have made a signature, it will be save and available the next time you want to sign a document.

How to write, draw or highlight on a scanned document?

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Open the note containing the scanning document you wish to sign.
3. Tap the document on the screen to reveal share button.
4. Tap the share button, located on top right of screen.
5. A menu will pop up at the bottom. Scroll and select Markup.
6. Choose a pen from the list and tap to select.
7. Using your finger or Apple pen to draw on document.
8. To change nib width you can double tap the pen and select from options.
9. Tap Done to save changes.
10. Tap Done to close.

 How do add typed text on a scanned document?

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Open the note containing the scanning document you wish to sign.
3. Tap the document on the screen to reveal share button.
4. Tap the share button, located on top right of screen.
5. A menu will pop up at the bottom. Scroll and select Markup.
6. Tap the Add button located in the bottom right of the screen.
7. Select Text from the menu.
8. A text box will appear. Press and hold to move into position or resize.
9. Tap text and select Edit.
10. Type in text box.
11. Tap Done to save changes.
12. Tap Done to close.

Note: You can also add shapes to the document such as squares, speech bubbles or arrows,  etc.

How to save the scanned document?

The document will be saved as a note in your notes app however you can choose to save it as either a file on your iPhone/iPad or alternatively to your iCloud.

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Open the note containing the scanning document you wish to save or share.
3. Tap the document on the screen to reveal share button.
4. Tap the share button, located on top right of screen.
5. A menu will pop up at the bottom. Select Save to files.
6. Choose desired location.
7. Tap Save.

How to send the scanned document to someone?

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Open the note containing the scanning document you wish to save or share.
3. Tap the document on the screen to reveal share button.
4. Tap the share button, located on top right of screen.
5. A menu will pop up at the bottom. Select an option to share the document. For example, Airdrop, Messages, WhatsApp, email, etc.
6. The document will be attached and ready to send.

How to print the scanned document?

1. Locate and open the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Open the note containing the scanning document you wish to save or share.
3. Tap the document on the screen to reveal share button.
4. Tap the share button, located on top right of screen.
5. Select print from the menu to choose a wireless printer.

What is the iPhone scanner?

A scanner is a hardware device that is used to make a digital copy of a physical document. The Notes app software utilizes the camera on the iPhone to make a digital copy of a document.

What is the iPhone Notes app?

It is a notetaking app that was developed by Apple Inc. and has been made available for free on iPhones, iPads and Macs.

It allows the user to take notes and save or share them. The powerful app also includes functions to scan and sign documents, insert images, photos, grids and videos within the notes. If you would like to know more about the notes app click here

Other uses for the iPhone scanner

• Save important documents, or information.
• Quick way to take copies of photos.
• Copy lottery tickets, business cards, etc.
• Create copies of documents by scanning and printing.

Additional information and alternative scanning apps

There are a number of alternative iPhone scanner apps available such as Adobe Scan which obviously integrates very well with other Adobe products. There is also Genius Scan, and Microsoft Lens. However, I think the free and included Apple Notes App does a perfectly fine job scanning your documents.

Apple also has information on the iPhone scan feature which you can access by clicking here.

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