How to scan documents into PDF on an iPhone.

Professional woman holding an iPhone while sat at a café

Learn how to scan documents with your iPhone and create high-quality PDF files for digital storage and easy sharing.

With an iPhone, it's simpler than ever to go paperless, eliminating the hassle of managing physical documents. Whether it's an important document you need to store, share, or keep secure, your iPhone can scan it to PDF quickly and reliably, offering a convenient solution for both personal and professional needs. Digitally storing documents also frees up physical space and provides the flexibility to access files anytime, anywhere. And when it comes to sensitive documents, your PDF files can be easily safeguarded, allowing for secure, organised digital storage.

Ready to simplify your document management? Follow the steps below to learn how to scan documents to PDF with your iPhone.

What you’ll learn.

How to scan documents with iPhone using Adobe Scan.

Saving and sending documents as a PDF file has a range of advantages. It’s one of the most compatible and secure file formats, making it ideal for sharing and collaboration. If you’re wondering how to scan a document as a PDF on an iPhone, there are a number of options.

Adobe Scan is one of the easiest and most intuitive ways to scan documents and save them as a PDF. Follow the steps below to learn how:

  1. Go to the App Store and install Adobe Scan.
  2. Launch the app and sign into your Adobe account.
  3. Using the slider, which is located below the camera, select the item you wish to scan.

Adobe Scan capture mode

  1. Take a photo of the document, book or whiteboard you’d like to scan. Adobe Scan automatically identifies its borders and captures the scan for you.
  2. Select Continue, or Retake to scan again.
  3. Once the app has captured the document, you can use the tools to drag and crop it into shape.
  4. Continue scanning if you have more pages to scan. Adobe Scan will group your scans into one file.
  5. Once you’ve finished, click to view your scanned images at the bottom right corner and edit until you’re happy. Create a custom title, adjust the white balance, add markups, and more.
  6. Click Save PDF to finalise your edits.

You can organise your scans into custom folders and sort by date or title on the app. Share high-quality PDFs to your favourite apps, copy to your device or save as a JPEG to give you more options.

What’s more, Adobe Scan intuitively saves your scanned PDFs to your Adobe account. View, edit and share your scanned documents from any Adobe Acrobat desktop, mobile or online application. Enjoy complete freedom to tweak, sign, collaborate and share your documents with ease, wherever you are.

Passwords protect your documents on the app for complete peace of mind. You can also secure PDFs with Acrobat online and Adobe Acrobat online services.

How to save scanned documents as PDF on iPhone.

You can also scan documents with your iPhone into PDFs using the built-in tools. The iPhone features a native scanner within the Notes app, allowing you to scan and sign documents on your iPhone or iPad.

Simply follow the steps below to find out how:

  1. Launch the Notes app and open a note.
  2. Tap Camera > Scan Documents.

Blank note in the Notes app with camera options selected

  1. Take a photo of your document to scan it.

Using capture mode in the iPhone Notes app to scan documents

  1. Select Save or add more scans to the document.

Optimise your scan by capturing the image in good lighting and on a flat surface. You can sign and complete forms by selecting Share > Markup. The Notes app will save your document as a PDF, which you can choose to share or upload anywhere you like.

By comparison, Adobe Scan automatically enhances scanned images with optical character recognition, brightening your scan to give you clear, professional results every time – even if they’re handwritten.

However, both apps allow you to scan and sign documents for free, making the Notes app on your iPhone another great option.

Why scan documents with an iPhone? The benefits.

Reduce paper waste.

Going paperless with PDFs helps cut down on printing and mailing costs, while keeping your workspace free of paper clutter. You can add text to PDFs, share them by email, and invite others to collaborate online - all without using a single sheet of paper.

Accessible.

PDFs are one of the easiest formats to share because they keep their formatting on any device. You can attach them to emails, save them to cloud storage, or download them to your phone or computer - no more worrying about layout changes or compatibility issues.

Efficient.

Need to fill out forms or share ideas with a client? With Adobe Scan on your iPhone, you can quickly scan, sign, and send documents, so everything looks professional and polished in just a few steps.

Security.

PDFs offer built-in security features, allowing you to password protect documents or set permissions to restrict editing and copying. This makes PDFs a safe choice for sharing sensitive information.

Searchability and organisation.

With tools like OCR in Adobe Scan, scanned documents can become searchable, making it easy to find specific information within files. You can also organise your PDFs into folders, helping you keep everything neat and accessible.

Long-term storage.

PDFs are a widely accepted format for archiving because they preserve content and formatting, ensuring that documents remain intact and accessible for years. Digital storage is also much more space-efficient than physical filing.

Eco-friendly.

By reducing the need for physical paperwork, scanning to PDF contributes to a lower environmental footprint - saving on paper, ink, and other resources associated with printing.

Versatile document management.

iPhone scanning simplifies document management, offering versatile benefits for both personal and professional tasks. Whether it’s signing job contracts, tracking expenses with receipt scans, saving IDs, or preserving important records, iPhone’s scan feature enables quick digitisation and organised storage. This eliminates the need for physical copies and ensures easy access to files, making everyday tasks more efficient and hassle-free.

FAQs

How to combine scanned documents into one PDF on iPhone?

Combining several scanned documents into a single PDF on iPhone is easier than you think. The simplest way is to use our Adobe Acrobat online PDF merger.

  • Visit Adobe Merger. Open the Adobe Acrobat PDF merger online from any browser.
  • Upload your files. Drop and drag the files you want to merge into the upload box. Alternatively, use the select files function and tap each one in your file browser. You can add additional files using the plus icon.
  • Arrange your files. The combine PDF tool will order the PDFs based on the order of their upload. Simply drop and drag to re-order your files if necessary.
  • Complete the merge. Tap the Combine button to complete the merge.
How do you convert a scanned document to PDF on iPhone?
Adobe Acrobat gives you a wide range of colour options to highlight text in a PDF. Blue, green, pink, orange, and grey are among the potential choices.
How do I scan a document and email it as a PDF?
Scanning and emailing a document as a PDF from your iPhone is straightforward. Simply scan and edit your document using Adobe Scan, then select Save PDF. You can then tap Share to email it, share a copy or send a link.
Does Adobe Scan work offline?
Yes, Adobe Scan can function offline, allowing you to scan and save documents without an internet connection. When offline, the app stores your scans locally on your device. Once you reconnect to the internet, Adobe Scan uploads your documents to Adobe Document Cloud, enabling access across devices and facilitating sharing.
How do I make scanned documents searchable?
Adobe Scan includes OCR, which converts text in scanned documents into searchable content, making it easier to find specific information within your PDFs. This feature enables you to quickly locate keywords, phrases, or important details without manually scanning through each page, saving time and improving document efficiency.
Can I adjust the quality of my scans?
Yes, Adobe Scan offers tools to adjust image quality, including brightness and contrast. These features help you achieve clear, high-quality scans even in less-than-ideal conditions.
What’s the difference between Adobe Scan and the iPhone Notes app for scanning?
Adobe Scan includes features like OCR for searchable text, automatic border detection, and a variety of editing options for fine-tuning scans. The iPhone Notes app offers basic scanning capabilities but does not include OCR, making it suitable for simple scans without advanced editing or search functionality.
Can I edit scanned PDFs after saving them?
Yes, once saved, you can open scanned PDFs in Adobe Acrobat to add annotations, make edits, or fill in forms, giving you flexibility to update documents as needed.

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Content as a Service v3 - Wednesday 19 February 2025 at 05:18