Attention all iPhone users: If you need to turn an important physical document into a PDF, all you need is the Notes app.
TikTok user Francine (@americanbigfootcenter) shares this game-changing hack in a video with over 127,000 views.
Francine starts her video by sitting at her desk with an iPhone in her hand. “Literally, not enough people know that this is a thing, but [it’s] super helpful. If you have an iPhone,” she says, holding up the cellphone, the screen facing the camera.
“If you go into the Notes app, create a new note, then go into the attachment part,” the content creator says, demonstrating as she speaks. Francine presses “scan a document.” The screen reads: “Position the document in view.”
All you have to do is position the physical paper properly in the frame, and it creates a virtual document.
“Then, you can scan a document and make a PDF on your phone,” Francine explains. “It’s really useful if you don’t have a scanner or whatever for abundant reasons, but yeah. Just an FYI.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Francine via TikTok comment and direct message as well as Apple via press email.
What do viewers think?
Most weren’t aware that this feature exists.
“Whaaat thank you, I’ve been so curious how to do this w/o a scanner,” one viewer wrote.
“I did NOT know you could do this in the notes app! Thank you!” a second commented.
“I love how apple doesn’t tell us how to do anything lol,” a third stated.
Others shared how this hack has helped them in the past.
“Yasss this is how I send my dad my tax forms for him to file for me,” one wrote.
More ways to scan a document using an iPhone
This feature has been around since 2017 after the iOS 11 update and isn’t limited to only iPhones; iPads have this ability as well. There are a few other ways to scan a document.
IPhone owners can also scan their documents through Files. Here’s how:
- When you open the Files app, tap the “More” button.
- Press “Scan Documents.”
- Like with Notes, if your phone is on Auto Mode, it will automatically scan. If it’s not, you will need to tap the shutter or volume button to capture the document.
- Hit “Keep Scan.”
@americanbigfootcenter #fyp #foryou #hack ♬ original sound – Francine 
Another nifty feature
If you need to sign a document, but don’t have access to a printer, you can do that on Notes as well:
- Open Notes and select a document.
- Press the “Mark Up” icon.
- Press the “Add” button followed by “Signature”
- From there, you can add a signature or create one.
- Once you fill out your signature, you can adjust the size of the box and move it where you want.
- Hit “Done.”
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