How to Scan Photos on an iPhone & iPad

Want to digitize photos but don't have a flatbed picture scanner? Here's how to scan photos on an iPhone or iPad, including how to scan with the iPhone camera and how to scan pictures on an iPhone using the Notes app. We'll also show you the best iPhone scanner app for scanning old photos, as well as editing your scanned pictures.

Jump To:

• How to Scan Pictures on an iPhone
• How to Scan Photos Using the Notes App
• iPhone Photo Scanning Tips
• Best Photo Scanner Apps
• FAQ

How to Scan Pictures on an iPhone

Scanning photos is a great way to digitize old photos; however, if you want to transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone, read this. If you don't have a photo scanning app but you're wondering, "how can I scan my photos?", you can still scan photos with an iPhone; it's as easy as opening your Camera app. To scan photos on an iPhone, go to a well-lit area, lay your photo down on a flat surface and hold your phone straight above it, then:

1. Open the Camera app.
   
   
2. Position your iPhone correctly. Make sure to keep it perfectly parallel to the photo and not at an angle. There is even a grid on your iPhone camera you can enable to make taking overhead photos easier.
   
   
3. Tap the Shutter button to take the photo. You can crop the photo to remove the background surface.
   
   

Now that you know how to scan photos with an iPhone or iPad using the Camera app, let's move on to how to scan pictures on an iPhone free, with the Notes app.

How to Scan Photos Using the Notes App

Looking for the best way to preserve old photos? You should learn how to scan a picture on an iPhone using the Notes app. Here's how to scan photos with an iPhone or iPad using Notes.

Read on to learn some of our top tricks to make sure your iPad or iPhone scanning goes as smoothly as possible.

iPhone Photo Scanning Tips

Here are a few tips that will teach you how to scan on the iPhone as if you were using a scanner. The photo must lay on a flat surface and the iPhone should be held parallel to it. You have to keep your hands steady to avoid blurs and maintain the right distance for the best quality. It is also important to consider lighting, glare control, shadows, flash, and Camera app settings.

Lighting

When using your iPhone to scan photos, lighting is incredibly important. Natural light is the best, although a bright white-light lamp can also work. Consider where the light is coming from when positioning your phone to avoid shadows. When you scan a photo on an iPhone, don't do it directly under the light, because your phone will cast a shadow. Move around in a few different positions until you find one with optimal lighting and no shadows over the picture you're going to scan. 

Phone Settings

If you are using the Camera app to scan the photo, make sure you are using Photo Mode, not Portrait Mode. Additionally, make sure that you are not zoomed in or zoomed out, to avoid distortion of any kind. If you are having trouble focusing, tap the screen on one of the faces in the photo. You can also hold your upper arms and elbows against the sides of your body to minimize shaking. You may need to move the phone further away to take a better quality photo—this will require you to crop it later, but can result in a better photo scan.

Your iPhone will automatically adjust to the best settings for the perfect photo. However, sometimes you may wish to change them to suit your needs. To edit scanned pictures:

1. Open the Camera app.
   
   
2. Tap the arrow on top of the screen to open the settings menu below.
   
   
3. Adjust the settings to turn off flash, disable Live Photos and consider raising the exposure as necessary.
   
   

How to Reduce Glare

Reducing glare can be tricky but all it takes is altering the position of the photo. Especially since most photos are printed on shiny paper, you may need to experiment with different locations where you have enough light without the glare. It can also help to move farther away from the photo and even tilt the iPhone slightly. If you resort to this, you will need to crop the photo later on.

Best Photo Scanner Apps

Learning how to scan pictures on an iPhone doesn't need to be complicated. It's as simple as learning how to scan with the iPhone camera that's already on your phone! Once you digitize photos, you can save time editing with a third-party app. iPad and iPhone photo scanner apps can scan multiple photos at once and enhance them automatically, turning your pold photos into digital photos in just a few clicks. If you're looking for the best app to scan photos, as well as edit your scanned pictures, here are some great options. 

1. PhotoScan by Google Photos (Free)

PhotoScan is one of the best photo scanner apps, and it's free! It provides step-by-step instructions, automatically crops and enhances the photos, and it has a toggle for glare removal. The app even offers perspective correction, smart rotation, and edge detection. The scanned photos are then stored on the free Google Photos app and can be shared from there in just one click.

2. Photo Scan App by Photomyne (Free or $39.99/Year for Premium Membership)

Phtomyne is another great option that features the option to scan multiple photos with just one shot. This makes scanning an entire photo album a stress-free task. The app automatically detects picture boundaries, rotates sideways photos, and crops them. There is also automatic enhancement as well as some amazing add-ons with the paid subscription.

The paid subscription costs $39.99 a year, and it allows allow you to add stories to each photo either via typed text or voice recording. You can also tag faces, apply photo filters, and even colorize your black and white photos, slides, and negatives!

3. Pic Scanner ($3.99)

Here's another great app you can use to scan old photos. Pic Scanner claims to be the world’s first app to scan and crop multiple photos per click. For a one-time fee of $3.99, the app offers unlimited use of all the features, including photo editing tools, filters, automatic perspective correction, and photo captions. Once you scan photos with your iPhone or iPad, you can add them to albums and slideshows without limitation. Another perk is that it doesn't need an internet connection to function.

Now you know how to scan a picture on an iPhone or iPad! To learn more about how to digitize photos with Apple devices, sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter.