How to scan receipts and organize them for taxes.

A woman scans receipts using her smart phone so she can organize them digitally for taxes.

Find out how to scan receipts and digitize them to help you stay organized next tax season.

Digitizing your receipts is one of the simplest ways to stay organized during tax season, and one of the most effective. Whether you’re filing personal taxes, preparing small‑business returns, or tracking expenses as a freelancer, scanned receipts help you keep accurate records, avoid lost paperwork, and ensure you have the documentation needed to support your deductions. This guide walks you through how to scan receipts, store them digitally, and build a tax‑ready organization system that works year‑round.

Do I need to keep paper receipts?

The IRS recommends keeping receipts for at least three years, but you’re not required to keep physical copies. Digital receipts are fully acceptable as long as they clearly show:

The amount
The date
The vendor
The purpose of the expense

While it’s smart to keep physical copies of major purchases, contracts, or high‑value business documents, most everyday receipts can be safely digitized and stored electronically.

How to scan receipts for taxes and digitize them.

Digitizing receipts ensures they don’t fade, get lost, or clutter your workspace. You can scan or digitize receipts using:

a mobile scanning app like Adobe Scan
a desktop scanner
digital receipts from online retailers saved as PDFs
PDF editing software, which also allows you to convert any receipt emails to PDFs

Once scanned, save your receipts as PDFs so they’re easy to search, organize, and share with your tax preparer.

How to scan receipts on an iPhone.

To scan a receipt using an iPhone, you’ll first want to download an app like Adobe Scan that can use your phone camera to create PDF files. Next, follow these steps:

Place your receipt on a flat, solid-colored surface.
Open the scanning app.
Position your camera to include all edges of the document and ensure the camera is focused on the document so it’s clear and easy to read.
Capture the image and follow the in-app steps to name and save your scan.

How to scan receipts on an Android.

Scanning receipts on an Android is very similar to the process for scanning receipts on an iPhone. Start by downloading a reputable scanning app like Adobe Scan, then do the following:

Place the receipt on a flat, solid-colored surface.
Open the scanning app and position your camera parallel to the receipt. Also, ensure your camera is correctly focused on the receipt to get a clear scan.
Capture the photo, then use the app to adjust the scanned area and crop as needed.
Follow the on-screen prompts to name, save, and share your scan.

How to scan a receipt on a desktop.

If you have a scanner or access to a printer with scanning capabilities, follow these steps:

Place the receipt face-down on the scanner. Ensure it lies flat without any wrinkles or folds that might obscure information and make it difficult to read the receipt.
Place the lid down to hold your receipt in place and provide a solid background for the scan.
Follow the device instructions to begin your scan.
Once the scan is complete, the file will be saved to a memory storage device that you can then remove and connect to your desktop to download the file. Or, if your scanning device is Wi-Fi enabled, you can send the file directly to your email or desktop computer.
On your desktop, preview the scanned receipt to ensure you can easily read all relevant information, then name the file and move it to the proper location for storage.

Best practices — how to organize receipts for taxes.

There are many different ideas for how to organize receipts for taxes. The best way depends entirely on what makes the most sense to you and helps you quickly locate receipts when needed. Here are a few best practices for tax receipt organization.

Merge receipts into one file.

Instead of storing dozens of individual PDFs, combine related receipts into a single file. This reduces clutter and makes it easier to find what you need.

Open Adobe Acrobat.
Select Tools > Combine Files.
Add the receipts you want to merge and arrange them in order.
Select Merge Files.
Save the combined PDF in the appropriate folder.

Alternatively, you can also use Adobe Acrobat online services to merge PDFs.

Compress your PDF receipts

You’ll likely need to share your receipts with an accountant or tax officials at some point during your tax preparation process. Large PDF files can be difficult to email or upload. Compress PDF files to make sharing them easier:

Open Acrobat.
Select the PDF(s) you want to compress.
Acrobat automatically reduces the file size.
Save and share as needed.

Back up your files of receipts.

Once you’ve scanned and merged your receipts, save them in at least two locations to ensure you won’t lose them.

After scanning receipts:

Download and save the receipt on a physical hard drive, such as your desktop computer or an external hard drive.
Save a second copy of the receipt on your preferred online file storage platform.

How long should I keep receipts?

Most taxpayers should keep receipts for three years, but certain situations require longer retention:

Seven years if you file a claim for a loss
Indefinitely for major asset purchases, property improvements, or business ownership records

What receipts to keep for taxes.

The exact types of receipts will vary depending on if you’re filing personal or business taxes. In general, it’s a good idea to keep:

Supporting business documents
Employment records (W2s)
Medical expenses
Travel-related expenses
Other deduction-related receipts

What receipts should I keep for personal taxes?

A good rule of thumb for personal record-keeping is to keep all receipts related to deductions you plan to claim, which could include:

Medical expenses, especially if paid with pretax funds from an HSA or FSA
Financial records (for example, bank and credit card statements)
Charitable donation records
Home expenses
Child care
Educational expenses

What receipts should I keep for business taxes?

You should keep receipts for any business-related operations and expenses, including:

Gross receipts (invoices, 1099s, income statements, etc.)
Purchase receipts (canceled checks, credit card statements, etc.)
Business expenses (travel, gifts, entertainment, etc.)
Asset transactions (improvement costs, real estate closing statements, etc.)
Employment records (payroll registers, tip records, fringe benefits, etc.)