There’s probably nothing more convenient than being able to scan documents directly from your iPhone or iPad.
While working on the go, you might not have access to a scanner or a printer, but if you have your mobile device with you, you can scan a document just as easily.
And as we’re about to cover below, there are a lot of different ways you can do so.
For starters, did you know your iPhone has a hidden document scanner you can use without installing any other apps?
Or you can use the official Adobe Scan app for your work and save it as a PDF.
Either way, below, we’ll show you all the different ways you can scan a document on an iPhone or iPad.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Can You Scan A Document On Your iPhone or iPad?
- How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The Notes App
- How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The Adobe Scan App
- How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The Microsoft Office Lens App
- How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The iScanner App
- How To Convert A Scanned Document To PDF On iPhone
Can You Scan A Document On Your iPhone or iPad?
First things first, wondering whether or not you can scan a document on your iPhone, iPad, or tablet?
The answer is yes. You can use the Notes app to scan documents, add signatures, and make some other quick edits as needed.
You can also use your iPhone's camera, which doubles as a document scanner.
If you've been using an iPhone for a few years now, chances are, you've probably tried several document scanner apps. Whether you wanted to scan a business card, flier, or a Word document, being able to do so on the go with your phone is a convenience that can’t be matched.
Now, let’s take a look at all the different ways you can scan a document with your iPhone or iPad.
How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The Notes App
The Notes App is an inbuilt app on Apple’s iOS and iPadOS that also doubles for scanning documents.
Here is a step-by-step guide;
- Step 1: Locate the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad screen and open it.
- Step 2: Tap on the pencil and paper icon on the bottom-right corner of your screen to create a new note.
- Step 3: Locate the camera icon in the ribbon above the onscreen keyboard and tap on it.

- Step 4: A menu will pop up, tap the Scan Documents icon and the camera will be enabled.

- Step 5: Place your document on a flat surface to be scanned like you want to take a picture of it and then tap the onscreen shutter button.
- Step 6: Drag the circles in the corner of the box to adjust the scan to fit the page.
- Step 7: Tap Keep Scan at the bottom right corner of your screen then tap save. Then, tap Done in the top-right corner of your screen.
- Step 8: You can then share or save the pages to your iCloud drive.

Alternatively, for other ways to share documents, be sure to also read:
- How To Send A PDF File As An Email Attachment (Examples and Screenshots)
- 4 Simple Ways To Encrypt Gmail Attachments And Send Confidential Emails
- How to Fill Out a PDF Form and Email It (With Adobe, Online, and More)
How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The Adobe Scan App
Adobe Scan is one of the best scanning tools accessible for both Apple and Android users.
Here’s how you can use the app to scan documents:
- Step 1: Install Adobe Scan on your android, iPhone, or iPad from your Play store and iOS respectively.
- Step 2: Open Adobe Scan on your device.

- Step 3: Choose the scan type whether whiteboard, form, document, or business card.
- Step 4: Position the document you would like to scan on a flat surface.
- Step 5: Position the camera right above the document and make sure it is in the frame. The app would automatically scan the document once it has a clear view, if it doesn’t click on the big circle at the bottom of the screen ti scan it manually.
- Step 6: After, you could choose to Retake the scan or Continue to scan other documents.
- Step 7: When you are done scanning, tap on the page counter at the lower-right corner of your screen. You will now have the option to further edit the document if it's not good enough or Save PDF.

How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The Microsoft Office Lens App
Microsoft Office lens is a scanning tool that could be used by both Android and iOS users.
It is an effective way of capturing general information and texts from receipts, memos, and other document types.
Here’s how to scan documents with the Microsoft Office Lens app: