How to scan a document with my iPhone

If you need to scan a document or your ID card, there’s no need for a printer; you can do it directly with your iPhone. If you don’t know how to go about it, don’t worry; our tutorial explains step-by-step how to use the built-in scanner in iOS.

Summary

🗂️ Scan a document from “Files”
📝 Scan a document from “Notes”
📧 Scan a document from “Mail”
🤔 Can I scan my document as a PDF with an iPhone?

©BuzzArena

Being able to scan your passport, a receipt, or transfer an official document has become essential in daily life. However, you may not always have a printer at hand, and your smartphone is likely the only solution available. If you have an iPhone, the process is very simple. In fact, several iOS applications allow you to digitize and save your file as a PDF.

All of this is built-in to your device and completely free. There’s no need to download third-party software; everything can be done in just a few straightforward steps. Furthermore, all methods work equally well on iPads. If you happen to be an Android user, you can still check out our dedicated tutorial. In any case, we’ll explain how to scan a document with an iPhone.

🗂️ Scan a document from “Files”

Scanner document iPhone Fichiers — ©BuzzArena

First, we will detail how to scan a document using Apple’s “Files” application.

Open “Files” from the home screen
Tap the three dots at the top left of the screen
Select “Scan Documents”
Once the image is captured, tap on “Save” at the bottom left
You can choose the folder where to save the document
For this method, the image is typically saved automatically in PDF format.

📝 Scan a document from “Notes”

Scanner document iPhone Notes — ©BuzzArena

Another option is to go directly through “Notes.” Here’s how to do it:

Go to the “Notes” app
Create a new note (icon at the bottom right)
Tap the three dots at the top left, then choose “Scan”
Again, the document is saved as a PDF

📧 Scan a document from “Mail”

Scanner document iPhone Mail — ©BuzzArena

If you need to send a document via email, you can use the scanning feature from the “Mail” app on your iPhone. Here are the steps to follow:

Launch the “Mail” app
Create a new message
You need to scroll the menu above the keyboard to the right
Tap on the paperclip icon
You can choose between “Scan a Document” or “Scan Text”
The image is added directly to your email, and all you have to do is send it.

🤔 Can I scan my document as a PDF with an iPhone?

If you used the “Files” or “Notes” applications, scanned documents are automatically in PDF format. In fact, iOS immediately converts files into this format, which makes our lives easier.