How To Use Your iPhone’s Hidden Document Scanner

There’s a hidden document scanner on your iPhone. The next time you’re asked to scan a document, all you have to do is pick up your iPad or your iPhone. 

You don’t need to buy the fancy all-in-one printers with a document scanner. Just by using an iPad or your iPhone, you can sign, scan and even send a document as easy as one, two, three. While this might seem an impossible task from a decade ago, the best thing is that you have a scanner right in the palm of your hand. 

When scanning a document, that doesn’t mean you need to take a picture and crop it. That’s a lot of work if you ask me. Here’s something good. It’s better to use the document scanner, and it’s just hidden in your iPhone’s Notes app. This feature was added in 2017 along with the iOS 11. 

How to use your iPad or iPhone to scan a document

You can place the document you want to scan on a flat surface. Make sure the area is sufficiently lit. Next, open the Notes app. You can choose to create a new note or open an existing one. When the note is open, you can tap on the camera icon then choose Scan Documents. 

This will prompt your iPad or iPhone to open the camera along with the shutter button located at the bottom of the screen. However, you don’t need to push the button yet. You need to follow the instructions on your screen. But for best results, we suggest you hold the device over the document. 

When the yellow box appears, this indicates that the camera is starting to scan the document. Moreover, there will be tips like “get closer” that will appear on the edges and corners. When it identifies the document, the app will automatically prompt the scan. On the other hand, if your iPhone or iPad struggles to find the document, this is the time to press the shutter button.

How to get the perfect scan

Who wouldn’t want to get the perfect scan? No one, right? With this tool, you can make adjustments after you scan the document. These adjustments include rotating the document, adding more pages, and changing the color scheme. 

To do this, you need to open the document first. Next, find and tap on the editing tools located at the bottom of the screen. Use the crop tool to adjust the corners or cut sections. However, the easiest way to use the crop tool is by placing your finger beside the small circle in the corner of the document. 

Likewise, this doubles as a magnifying glass. This will allow you to see the better angle of your adjustments. By doing this, it will lessen the chances of you covering any unwanted angles. 

How to save, share, or sign 

After you have scanned and adjusted the document, you can choose other options. The options include either to keep it in the Notes app, or sign and share it. If you decide to share, you need to tap the share button located on the screen’s top-right corner. 

Moreover, you can add your signature by tapping on the Markup. The markup tool includes actions that let you write, draw, or even add your signature. You can tap the “+” sign to see all the available tools. 

When you’re finished signing the document, you can either send it through email or save it to the Files app. This is how to use your iPhone or iPad’s hidden document scanner. In addition, you can send the document directly to your Mac.