Using Notes.app to Scan Receipts and Documents

When out shopping and collecting receipts after each purchase, instead of keeping a receipt that fades over time, scan it into your iPhone. The receipt becomes digitised and never fades. Receipts can also be kept this way for any warranty needs.

If Notes are setup with iCloud it automatically synchronises with your Mac.

This is also great for business cards.

Multi-page documents can also be scanned. Scan a letter, a brochure or a map.

1. Find a Dark Surface

Find a dark surface. Any surface is fine. Wooden floor, dark desk, or concrete surfaces are great.

Lighting is important. Scanning during the day is best. Do it near a window or even outside.

2. Open Notes.app

Find Notes on the home screen or swipe down from the top and type “not” in the search field.

Tap the Notes app.

Select the new note icon in the bottom right corner.

3. Create a new note

Tap the camera icon. A list appears.

Tap Scan Documents.

4. Select Auto or Manual

Auto is default. Auto is a great way to scan. Just hold the iPhone over the receipt. When it is in the right position and your hand is steady it will take the scan. You will hear a camera shutter sound. This is the same as in the Camera app. There is no need to press the white camera button.

Auto is the quickest way to scan a multi-page document. Just change the page and hold again. It will take the next page. Repeat until done. Easy.

Manual is different. See below.

The document type can be selected by tapping the three circle icon. Colour, greyscale, B&W or photo. Alternatively this can be modified after the scan. The flash is also available.

Manual mode gives you the opportunity to adjust the edges. Notes will still detect the edges for you. There is only a need for this if there is a problem with the edge detection.

Tap the white circle to scan.

Then drag the circles at the corners to accurately find each corner. A magnifying glass appears to assist.

Tap Keep Scan to save the page. Repeat until all pages are done.

Tap Save when the pages are all scanned.

5. Back to Notes

The scan is now attached to the note as a PDF. Type any extra useful information.

The PDF is automatically titled with the first detectable line on the scan. This is the recent text detection capability. In this case Tax Invoice.

6. Post Processing

Tap the PDF scan attachment to reveal the editing tools.

Use the pinch outwards gesture to zoom in and check the quality of the scan.

Tap the circle with the plus in it to add more pages.

There is the usual cropping tool.

Tap the three circle icon to adjust the scan category. Options are colour, greyscale, B&W, or photo. See image.

The usual rotating tool and delete function is also available.

Scanning is done. Brilliant.

7. The New Scan Synchronises to the Mac

If Notes is checked in your iCloud settings and the note has been saved in the iCloud folder then it is synchronised automatically to the Mac. See image.

Right click the attachment to show a contextual menu and select Rename Attachment… to change the title.

Double click the attachment to reveal the post editing tools.

There are also zoom in and out tools.

The PDF attachment can be shared directly from here too. Send it straight to your accountant or the treasurer.

Zoom in to check the quality of the scan.

All text in images and PDFs are now detected and searchable since MacOS Catalina and iOS 13. Try it out.

You now know how to make a scan with built in tools in the Notes app.