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:

• Step 1: Download and install the Office lens app on your iPhone, iPad or Android mobile device. Then, open the app and give it the necessary permissions to access your device’s camera and photos.
• Step 2: Position your document on a flat surface and make sure its alignment and lighting are good enough for the scan. Then, place your camera directly on top of your document.
• Step 3: Choose the format of the document you choose to scan whether whiteboard, document, business card, or photo. Then snap the picture, the app would automatically scan the document. The format types in the Microsoft Lens App are as follows:‍
• Whiteboard: Perfect mode for capturing handwritten notes and sketches on a dry erase board or similar surface.‍
• Business card: To capture information on business cards in any language.‍
• Photo: To capture photos and imagery.‍
• Step 4: Review and edit the captured images before you save them. Make sure the borders are aligned and they look good enough. You could make edits to add a new image, Crop, Rotate or Delete the image.

• Step 5: Finally, save, edit, and share your scanned documents needed.
  

How To Scan A Document On iPhone Or iPad With The iScanner App

iScanner is another app for scanning documents with features such as automatic detection of document edges and perspective, multipage scanning, and so on.

As with other applications covered above, you can also scan and save your documents, receipts, IDs and share them with any recipient with iScanner.

Here’s how:

• Step 1: Open the iScanner app on your iPhone or iPad.‍
• Step 2: Choose what you want to scan, whether it’s a document, business card, passport, and so on.‍
• Step 3: Tap the “plus” button at the bottom of the screen, then, tap Camera to open the camera view.

• Step 4: Position the document you want to scan on a flat surface and aim your camera at the document. The app will detect its borders and capture it automatically or by default. 
• Step 5: Locate the Next button on the bottom right corner of the screen and tap it.
• Step 6: Tap Save to create your document or share as needed.

• Step 7: Click Done.

How To Convert A Scanned Document To PDF On iPhone

Finally, if for some reason your scanned document isn’t in PDF format, chances are, you’ll want to convert it to one.

Why’s that?

PDF is one of the most widely used and convenient file formats. It’s also very straightforward to edit and share PDF documents as needed.

With the Notes app, you can convert your documents into PDF after scanning, with no third-party application needed. 

Here’s how to convert a document into PDF with the Notes app:

• Step 1: Open the Notes app on your device, then tap on the scanned document to get an expanded view and scroll through your pages.
• Step 2: Tap on the Share button in the upper right corner of the screen.
• Step 3: Locate the Create PDF button at the bottom of the share sheet and tap it.
• Step 4: A preview of your document will show. in the top right corner of your screen, tap on the Markup button to draw on the PDF before you save it.
• Step 5: Press the Done button in the top left corner, options will pop up To Save File To…, Delete PDF, or cancel. Tap on the Save File To…
• Step 6:  You will be presented with a list of locations, choose your preferred location.

Alternatively, for different and more detailed ways to convert your documents into PDF, be sure to also read:

• Image to PDF - How to Convert JPG Or PNG Screenshots to PDF
• How to Convert XLSX (Excel) Files to PDF (For Free And Online)
• GIF to PDF: Convert and Add GIF files to PDF

Conclusion 

Hope this guide to scanning documents on an iPhone was helpful!

Gone are the days you needed large bulky scanners to scan your documents. Your mobile device can be used to perform various administrative tasks even if you’re on the go. Some of the applications listed above can also be used by Android users to scan and share documents. 

By now, you should be able to scan documents on your iPhone or iPad. Whether it’s with the pre-installed Notes app or a third-party application.

As long as your mobile device has a working camera and enough storage, you should be able to scan documents on the go. 

Finally, if you’re looking for more ways to edit, adjust, or manage PDF documents, be sure to also read:

• How to Scan Multiple Pages Into One PDF and Combine Pages
• How to Turn a PDF File Into Google Docs Without Losing Formatting
• How to Flatten PDF Documents and Forms (Step-by-Step Guide)