Modern versions of the iPhone and iPad operating systems come with a convenient feature in the Notes app that allows you to scan text directly into notes. Whether it's printed or handwritten, the scanning process is done instantly within the Notes app itself. Once scanned, the text can be edited at any time as needed.

This functionality is especially useful when you want to digitize anything that’s printed or handwritten, such as letters, family recipes, receipts, manuscripts, books, magazines, flyers, or just about any other written material.

How to Scan Text Into Notes on iPhone & iPad

To use the Scan Text feature in the Notes app, your device must be running iOS 15.4 or iPadOS 15.4 or later. Earlier versions do not support this tool.

1. Ensure the text you wish to scan is clearly visible and under decent lighting conditions

2. Launch the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad

3. Tap the Camera icon
   

4. Choose “Scan Text”
   

5. The text will appear in the note automatically—tap “Insert” to add the scanned text directly into the note
   

Once inserted, you can save, edit, share, or otherwise interact with the note like any other.

For optimal results, ensure that the lighting is adequate and that the text is reasonably clear. Handwriting that is difficult to read may result in errors during scanning, though overall the recognition accuracy is quite impressive.

Note that the first line of any new note appears larger and bold by default, so you might want to add a title before scanning, such as “Grocery List” or “Meeting Notes.”

Keep in mind that this feature requires iOS 15.4 or newer (or iPadOS 15.4 and newer).

If your device is running an older version without the Scan Text function, you can still insert documents as images into Notes or use the Files app for scanning. What makes the Scan Text feature unique is that it converts the text into editable content rather than just inserting an image file.

If you'd prefer a visual guide, Apple Support has provided a helpful YouTube video explaining how the feature works:

While this feature is primarily designed for iPhone and iPad, Mac users can also take advantage of Live Text to extract and manipulate text from documents. Additionally, the Continuity Camera feature on Mac allows you to use your iPhone or iPad camera to capture items and insert them directly into documents or apps on your Mac.

Do you find yourself using this scanning feature often? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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