How do I scan and sign a document with my phone?

Photographing a document produces a skewed, shadowed image in the wrong format, which is why it is so often rejected. Built-in document scanners correct the perspective and output a PDF, and they are already on your phone.

What you'll need

• A phone
• Good light
• A plain contrasting surface (optional)

Step by step

1. Use the built-in document scanner rather than the camera.iPhone: Notes, then the camera icon, Scan Documents. Android: Google Drive's add button, or the Files app. Both produce proper PDFs.
2. Put the document on a flat, contrasting surface.A dark table for white paper. Contrast is how the scanner finds the edges automatically.
3. Use even light and avoid your own shadow.Near a window, not directly under a ceiling light with the phone between the light and the page.
4. Hold the phone parallel to the page.The software corrects some perspective but works far better from a square-on start.
5. Check every page before saving.Blurred or cropped pages are the most common reason a submitted document is rejected. Look at each one.
6. Save as PDF, not as images.PDF is what organisations expect, keeps multiple pages in one file, and is far smaller than a set of photos.
7. To sign, use the markup or fill-and-sign tool.iPhone: open the PDF, tap markup, then the signature tool. Android and most PDF apps have an equivalent. Sign once and it is saved for reuse.
8. Name the file usefully before sending.'2026-08 tenancy agreement signed' rather than 'Scan 4'. It matters to the recipient and to you later.

Tips

• Check whether a signature type is specified. Some processes require a wet signature or a formal e-signature service rather than a drawn image.
• Keep a signed blank signature image saved and reuse it, rather than drawing it freshly each time with a fingertip.
• For anything sensitive, delete the scan from your photo library and messaging apps once sent. Bank statements and passports accumulate in unexpected places.

Common mistakes

• Photographing the document instead of scanning it — You get a skewed, shadowed image in the wrong format, which is frequently rejected.
• Not checking each page before sending — A blurred or cut-off page means redoing the whole submission, often after a delay.
• Sending pages as separate image files — It is awkward for the recipient, larger, and prone to pages arriving out of order or missing.

Questions people ask