How to Use the iOS 11 Document Scanner Feature

One of the more useful features in iOS 11 that not a lot of people talk about is the new built-in document scanner feature in Notes. Where you normally would have used a third-party app to do this type of scan (and there are good ones that I like out there), this one is super easy to use and is built in to iOS so, you know, it’s just better.

To scan any document (super handy for business cards in my opinion), simply open the Notes app.

Tap the new note icon at the bottom right.

Tap the plus sign above the keyboard.

Tap Scan Documents.

At this point, it’ll capture in color by default (you can also select greyscale or black & white if you want) but just aim it at the document and it’ll automatically take the photo when it senses it or you can tap the shutter button to do it manually.

If you do it manually, you can then move the corners around to highlight the document better if needed.

Tap Save when done with the document (or continue snapping away if it’s a multi-page document you want in one place).

To share the document, just tap and hold on it and then select Share and you’ll get your normal iOS sharing options (including the ability to send to a PDF and then tap Mark Up if you want to draw on it before sending it).

There you go, quick tip and trick for anyone who might want document scanning on the fly (and also an easy way of signing documents, by the way). Follow me for more tips, tricks and other technology-related shenanigans I might be up to and let me know in the comments if this helped or if you would like a tutorial on something else in the future.