How to scan photos on an iPhone
When you think
about scanning documents, do you picture a bulky piece of equipment in the
corner gathering dust? Well, you might be surprised to learn that you can now
use your iPhone to scan important documents or old photos, instead.
Using a photo scanner app, you can automatically remove glare and distortion from your images, leaving you with a high-quality image in the correct proportion. With apps offering helpful features such as automatic edge-detection, color restoration and cropping, digitizing your treasured photographs has never been simpler.
Whether you need to scan photographs, bank statements, or receipts, here are five of the best photo scanner apps for iPhone – with both free and paid options.
Free apps: the best photo scanner apps for iPhone
If you need to scan images infrequently or as a one-off, there are some great apps out there that won’t cost you a penny. Here are three of the best free photo scanning tools.
Cam Scanner
With Cam Scanner,
you can crop and edit your scanned images, then convert them into
easily-shareable PDFs or JPEGs. The app’s tagging option lets you easily
organize your photos into topics, so you can find and share them hassle-free.
What’s more, the app works with various third-party tools – such as OneDrive,
Dropbox and Google Drive – so it’s easy to sync up with tools you’re already
using.
While there’s a
premium version of Cam Scanner, the free software offers enough functionality
to get high-quality, easy-to-share scans. It can be downloaded from the App
Store.
Best features:
- Smart cropping and
auto-enhancement of your images - Add watermarks or
annotations - Create a passcode for
viewing private documents
Google PhotoScan
Developed by
Google, PhotoScan is available on both iOS and Android. Simply take three
photographs of your scanned item from different angles, then let PhotoScan
automatically combine them into a glare-free, digital image. While editing
options are limited, being able to add your images directly to Google Photos is
a helpful feature if you’re already using Google tools.
PhotoScan can be
downloaded from the App Store.
Best features:
- Get glare-free scans in
seconds - Automatic cropping based
on edge detection - Smart rotation ensures
your photos are always the correct way up
Photomyne
Photomyne lets
you scan multiple photographs in a single shot. It auto-detects photo
boundaries, then auto-rotates, crops and saves your scans to a digital album
that’s easy to share with family and friends. What’s more, Photomyne provides
helpful tools to get the best out of your photos, such as colorizing black and
white images or creating collages.
You can create an
account to access restricted features, but the free version offers great
functionality for scanning images. Photomyne can be downloaded from the App
Store.
Best features:
- Scan multiple images in
a single shot - Apply photo filters and
colorize your images - Create photo collages,
slideshows and more
Paid apps: the best photo scanner apps for iPhone
If you scan items regularly and need the best functionality and editing tools, you might like to purchase a premium app. Here are two of the best paid-for photo scanning options.
Photo Scanner Plus
Photo
Scanner Plus automatically detects picture boundaries and rotates your image to
create an undistorted, high-quality scan. What’s more, Photo Scanner Plus
auto-enhances your scanned photos – sharpening, contrasting and restoring color
to create digital images that are easy to share with friends and family.
Photo
Scanner Plus requires a one-off payment of $5.99, but it does have limitations.
If you want photo backup and online access with no constraints, you’ll need to
subscribe to a monthly or yearly plan. Photo Scanner Plus can be downloaded
from the App Store.
Best features:
- Scan
multiple photographs in a single shot - Apply photo
filters and colorize your images - Share scanned photographs easily on social media
Pic Scanner
Available on iOS only, Pic Scanner lets you scan multiple photos at the same time, making digitizing your images quick and simple. Within the app, you can rotate your photographs, enhance colors with filters and add detailed information about each image for your own reference.
While there’s a free version of Pic Scanner available, it limits you to just 12 images. However, at a cost of just $3.99, the full version lets you scan and share as often as you wish. Pic Scanner can be downloaded from the App Store.
Best features:
- Scan
multiple photographs in a single shot - Photo
editing tools and filters - Unlimited
photo editing, albums and slideshows
Create stunning gifts from your scanned photos and pictures
Now your favorite photographs are scanned to your phone, why not bring them to life with a personalized photo gift from Motif?
Create high-quality photocards, photobooks or calendars in minutes with our easy-to-use app. Whether it’s a book of childhood memories for Mother’s Day or a thoughtful card for a friend featuring scanned polaroids, create something unique and thoughtful with Motif. Download the app today.
