How to scan and protect documents on iPhone: ID cards and passports
Open Files, tap More, then Scan Documents, capture each requested side and save the PDF in your chosen folder. To keep a scan in a locked note, scan it directly in Notes instead. Before sending a copy, check whether the recipient accepts a watermark or hidden fields, then share only the details they need.
Use Files if you need a separate PDF to upload. Use Notes if you want to keep the scan inside a note you can lock. Either way, scan only the sides or pages requested, then check the result before sharing it.
Scan in Files
- Open Files and tap More, the three dots at the top.
- Choose Scan Documents and place your license on a plain, dark surface.
- The scanner finds the edges of the card and, in Auto mode, captures it on its own. Otherwise tap the shutter, drag the corners to the card’s edges and tap Keep Scan.
- Turn the card over and scan the back as the next page.
- Tap Done, choose a location and tap Save.
You get one PDF with two pages. For a passport, open the booklet flat at the photo page and check that the coded lines at the bottom are sharp. Do not scan extra pages unless requested. On iOS 26 you can also switch on the flash or a filter before capturing.
Or in Notes
Open a note, tap Attachment, then Scan Documents, and capture the pages. The scan is saved as a PDF inside the note; tap it and Share to send a copy. A note holding a scan made in Notes can be locked. A note with an imported PDF attachment cannot.
The Camera app is not a scanner. It takes a photo with the table around the card and files it in your photo library, between receipts and vacation pictures, and in iCloud Photos if that is on.
Make the details readable
Remove any plastic sleeve, light the card from the side and avoid glare. Keep all four corners in view, then zoom in on the preview before saving: the name, license number and expiry date should read cleanly.
Where your scan is saved
A scan made in Files goes wherever you pointed it before tapping Save. On My iPhone keeps it on this phone only; iCloud Drive copies it to every device signed in to your Apple Account. Recents in Files lists it if you lose track. A scan made in Notes stays inside that note; to turn it into a separate file, open it, tap Share and choose Save to Files.
Keep the scan locked
A PDF in Files has no lock of its own, so anyone holding your unlocked iPhone can open it. Two built-in locks close that gap. Since iOS 18 you can touch and hold the Files icon and choose Require Face ID, which locks the whole app. Or keep the scan in a locked note, with a separate notes password if you want one your passcode does not open. Document storage on iPhone with a password compares these with the Hidden album in Photos.
Protect the copy you send
The file you send is the one that travels: it stays in the recipient’s inbox, their downloads and every chat it passes through. Three habits limit what that copy can be used for.
- Send only what is asked. A landlord checking your name and photo may need just the front of the license; for a passport, the photo page.
- Mark who it is for. A watermark with the recipient, purpose and date can discourage reuse, but does not guarantee that the copy cannot be misused. The free watermark tool adds it in your browser.
- Hide what they do not need. When the recipient accepts it, black out the license number or your address with the redaction tool. The box is burned into the copy, so it cannot be undone.
If a form wants front and back on one sheet, the ID card to PDF tool lays them out at real size, and the compression tool brings a file under an upload limit. None of these tools uploads your document. When the request is done, delete the copies left in Downloads, Mail and Messages.
Scan and keep it in Dokus
Dokus does the scanning and the keeping in one place. It uses the same iPhone document camera, keeps front and back as one document under its name, and encrypts it on your device. The wallet opens with Face ID, even offline, and screenshots of a document come out blank. When someone asks for a copy, the share screen adds a watermark with their name and the date, hides the areas you select and saves a compressed PDF or JPG, free, while your original stays as it was.
Before sending the scan
- Check the name, photo and required numbers at full size, especially any areas affected by glare.
- Include the back of a card or extra passport pages only if requested.
- Confirm whether the recipient accepts watermarks or hidden fields.
- Keep your stored scan locked and send only the copy prepared for this recipient.
Frequently asked questions
Where do scanned documents go on iPhone?
A scan made in the Files app is saved as a PDF in the location you chose before tapping Save, either On My iPhone or a folder in iCloud Drive, and Recents in Files lists it. A scan made in Notes is saved as a PDF inside the note; to keep it as a separate file, tap Share, then Save to Files.
Can I scan my license for free?
Yes. Files and Notes include document scanning. Capture both sides and save the PDF without downloading another app.
Does a scanned license count as a mobile ID?
No. A scan is a reference or submission copy. A state-issued mobile ID requires the issuing authority’s enrollment process and a supported verifier.
Which page of my passport should I scan?
Usually the photo and personal-details page. Check the recipient’s requirements and keep the original passport for travel.