What to Know
- Scan, sign, and share documents using your iPhone Notes app.
- The Notes app uses your iPhone camera to scan documents, which makes the process fast and easy.
- Insert your signature and text notations with the Notes app Markup tool.
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Scanning documents in your iPhone Notes app is pretty darn easy! The Scan and Sign feature stores scanned documents electronically, allowing you to scan, sign, and share documents from any device. Below, we'll cover how to scan a document with your iPhone and sign and share a PDF from your mobile device.
Jump To:
- How to Scan a Document on iPhone
- Sign a Document on Your iPhone & Add Text
- Sharing Your Signed Documents
How to Scan a Document on Your iPhone
When you scan a file using your iPhone, you can add the scanned document to an existing note in your Notes app or add the document to a new note. Let's walk through how to scan a document using your iPhone:
- To scan on your iPhone, start by opening the Notes app.
![Open Notes.]()
- Tap the New Note icon or open an existing note to add a document.
![Tap the New Note icon or open an existing note to add a document.]()
- Tap the Camera icon.
![Tap the camera icon.]()
- Tap Scan Documents.
![Tap Scan Documents.]()
- By default, your iPhone scan mode will be set to Auto, which automatically scans the document when it is positioned within the frame. Personally, I prefer to scan the document manually. To switch from Auto to Manual, tap Auto.
![To switch between Auto and Manual, tap the top right.]()
- If you scan the document manually, press the Shutter icon or the volume up button to scan your document.
![Press the shutter or your phone's volume up button to manually scan your document.]()
- Tap Save. If you scan more than one page, the number of scanned pages will appear in parenthesis on the Save button.
![Tap Save.]()
- Now the scanned document is embedded in the body of your note. Tap Done to save and close your note.
Pro Tip: For quicker note-taking, consider using the voice-to-text function on your iPhone!
How to Sign a Document on iPhone & Add Text
Your scanned document is now saved in a PDF format which you can edit, sign, and send via email, Messages, or AirDrop. Next, let's go over how to sign a document on iPhone and how to add text to a scanned file. For more iPhone note-taking tips and tricks, sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter.
Adding Your Signature to a Scanned Document
Good news! Adding your signature is pretty straightforward since the markup tool has an easy way for you to insert your signature. Here's how to sign a document on your iPhone:
- Open the note your scanned document is in and tap the Markup icon.
![Tap the Markup icon to access document editing options.]()
- In the Markup menu at the bottom of your screen, tap the plus icon.
![To add text, tap the + icon.]()
- Tap Signature.
![Tap Signature.]()
- Tap Add or Remove Signature.
![Tap Add or Remove Signature.]()
- Tap the plus icon.
![Tap the plus icon.]()
- Sign the line with your finger and tap Done.
![Sign the line with your finger and tap Done.]()
- Press and drag the blue dots in the corner of the text box to resize your signature.
![Drag the blue dots to resize the signature.]()
- To move your inserted signature, press and drag it to the correct position on the document.
![To reposition the signature, hold and drag into place.]()
You can also find out how to edit a PDF on your iPhone (and sign it) using the Files app. Now that you know how to sign a document in Notes, let's go over how to add text.
Adding Text to a Scanned PDF
You may want to add text to a scanned PDF, such as a date or a typed note. Let's cover how to write on a scanned document in your Notes app:
- Open the note containing your document and tap the scanned document you want to add text to.
![Tap the document you want to sign.]()
- Tap the Share icon.
![Tap the Share icon.]()
- Tap Markup.
![Tap Markup.]()
- To add text, tap the plus icon.
![To add text, tap the + icon.]()
- Tap Text.
![Tap Text.]()
- To change the font size, tap the aA icon.
![To change the font size, tap the aA icon.]()
- From here, you can change the text size, font, and set the text alignment within the text box.
![From here, you can change the text size, font, and justification.]()
- To reposition the text, press the text box and drag it to a new place on the scanned file.
![To reposition the text, simply hold and drag the text into place.]()
Sharing Your Signed Documents from Your iPhone
So you've edited and signed your document and are now ready to share it. Here's how to share the scanned document from your iPhone:
- In the Notes app, open the note containing the document you want to share. Tap to select the scanned document you want to share.
![Tap the document you want to share.]()
- Tap the Share icon in the top right corner.
![Tap the Share icon.]()
- Select a contact you want to send the file to or tap to select the app you want to use to send your scanned file. (I recommend the Mail app, especially if your scanned document is a large file.)
![Select your delivery method.]()
If you selected an email or messaging app, compose and send your message as usual. Your scanned document will be sent as an attachment with your text or email. Now that you know how to scan with the iPhone Notes app, check out how to save a file as a PDF on your iPhone or iPad.
