How to Scan with Your Phone and Why It’s a Must-Have Skill
Gone are the days when phones were merely for calls and texts. Nowadays, your iPhone doubles as a multitool capable of handling an array of tasks—from editing videos to managing documents. One of its standout features? Turning into a mobile office in your pocket, ready to do your paperwork without a fuss.
Why Make Scanning a Habit? It’s a Real Page-Turner!
Making a habit of scanning stuff with your iOS device can simplify both your personal and professional life. Here are a few reasons to start:
- Stay Organized: Digitize everything from receipts to important memos. This helps keep your physical spaces clear from paper clutter and your important documents at your fingertips. Can come in real handy and save you hours of search during the tax season.
- Secure Your Documents: Scanning creates digital backups of your most important documents, safeguarding them against loss or damage. Natural disasters like floods and creative toddlers happen.
- Share Easily: Got a shoebox of old photos and children’s artwork at home? They’re much better off on your phone where you can look at them anytime you feel like it or share them with the extended family.
- Access Anywhere: With your documents stored digitally, you can access them anywhere—ideal for both beachside holidays and business meetings.
- Environmental Benefits: Think of digitizing your documents as your personal contribution to the planet. By swapping stacks of paper for digital files, you not only cut down on clutter but also help save trees. Less paper waste means a smaller carbon footprint, making it a win-win for you and the Earth. So, every time you scan a document, feel good knowing you’re doing your part for the environment!
Scan These and You Won’t Be Sorry
Receipts for Tax Purposes
Scan and categorize your receipts to easily track deductible expenses. Come tax season, you’ll breeze through filings without the hassle of sifting through piles of paper.
Warranties and Manuals
Keep digital copies of warranties and user manuals for your appliances and electronics. This handy trick lets you quickly pull up what you need, whether you’re troubleshooting a device or checking how to use features.
Children’s Artwork
Transform your children’s artwork into digital gems that don’t take up physical space. Share these precious creations with family or compile them into digital portfolios as timeless keepsakes.
Business Cards
Scan business cards you collect at meetings or conferences. Many scanning apps can seamlessly add these contacts to your phone, making networking a snap.
Legal Documents
Secure digital copies of critical documents like leases, contracts, or estate plans. They’re safeguarded from physical damage and easily accessible, so you can share them with your lawyer whenever needed.
Medical Records and Prescriptions
Maintain a digital health file, including medical records and prescriptions. It’s incredibly useful for doctor’s visits or in emergencies when you need quick access to your health history. Plus, a lot of medical expenses are deductible so you should keep the bills for tax season.
How to Scan Documents with the Notes App on iOS
If you have an iOS device, you’re in luck because it comes with scanning software preinstalled. All you have to do is open the Notes app and start scanning! Here’s how:
- Open Notes: Create a new note by tapping the icon in the lower-right corner.
- Capture the Document: Tap the camera icon and select “Scan Documents”. Simply hold your phone over the document. The app will automatically detect the edges and capture the scan.
- Adjust and Save: You can fine-tune the crop and color settings before saving the document. This ensures your scans look clear and professional.
- Share or Store: Once saved, you can immediately share the document via email or upload it to a cloud service for safekeeping.
Why Go Pro with a Scanning App?
While the Notes app is great for everyday scanning, sometimes life throws you a curveball—like needing a 300 dpi scan, filling out a form for an application, or sorting hundreds of pages for tax season. Here’s why a dedicated scanning app can be a game-changer:
- High-Res Scans. Oftentimes, it’s not merely about tidy, professional-looking documents—300 dpi resolution is a requirement with applications and most document repositories. This iOS scanner guarantees 300 dpi quality if you find yourself needing one.
- Power Features: Batch scanning, color editing, e-signing? These features are not just fancy but essential for tackling big paperwork-related jobs. Professional scanning apps allow you to do all things PDF and leverage AI to make your scans look like you used a high-end office scanner.
- Organize Like a Boss: A dedicated scanning app will have a search feature that will find any document in seconds by name. Some apps like iScanner use an OCR-AI combo to scan the contents of documents to find them by any keyword or number from the one you need if you don’t remember the file name.
So, while your iPhone’s Notes app is your go-to for quick scans, consider a dedicated scanner app your professional sidekick—especially when you’re dealing with anything that needs a touch more finesse or a heap of features. Interested in scanning apps? This article can help you choose the best scanner app for your exact needs.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
