Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions? We’re here to help.

How do I scan a document?

To create a new document, tap the round plus (+) icon in the bottom right corner of the screen on the All Scans page. That will open your camera, so that you can take a photo of the document. When prompted, make sure to tap to allow Simply Scan to access your camera. If you would like to import an existing document, go to the camera view, then tap the photo icon in the bottom right corner to open your photo album. Again, be sure to tap to allow Simply Scan to access your photo album. 

To add a new page to a document, tap into that document, then tap the plus icon to add a new page to it.

How do I scan from my camera?

To scan from your camera, tap the plus (+) icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. That will open your camera by default. When prompted, make sure to allow Simply Scan to access your camera. 

Place your document on a flat surface in a bright location without shadows on the document. Hold your phone as close as possible to the document so that the edges of the document are still visible in the camera frame. Position your camera parallel to the document. 

The camera mode has several options. The camera is in automatic mode by default. When your phone is in position, hold it very still. The camera will count down from 3, then take a photo of the document. 

If you prefer to take the photo yourself, select the Manual option in the top right corner of the camera. That way, you can tap to take a photo whenever you’re ready. 

How do I add a file from my photo album?

To import files from your photo album, tap the plus (+) icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. That will open the camera by default. Then, look for the photo icon in the bottom right corner of the camera view. Tap that photo icon to open your photo album. When prompted, make sure to allow Simply Scan to access your album. In your photo album, select one or more images to import into your scan.

How do I get the best quality document?

Taking a good photo is very important to create a top quality scan. Here are some tips: 

• Find a bright, well-lit location to place your paper document. 

• Make sure the document is flat, not curved or bent. 

• Avoid having shadows over the document. 

• Make sure your phone is positioned parallel to the document. 

• Hold the phone as close as possible to the document so that all edges of the document are just barely visible inside the camera frame. 

• Hold very still to take the photo. 

You can also improve the quality of the image once you’ve scanned it. 

• Use the Crop option to edit the borders of the image. Put the borders right inside the edges of the document so that none of the photo background is visible. 

• Use the Enhance option to change the brightness and contrast of your scan. We recommend the High Contrast preset mode for most documents to make them look like a digital file. However, the best option will vary depending on your specific document. 

How do I scan a full color document?

Any document can be scanned with Simply Scan, including full color documents. Use the tips above to get the best quality document. When you use the Enhance feature, select Original to start with the original photo, then try brightening the scan or increasing contrast to optimize it.

How do I edit a document?

After you scan a document by taking a photo or importing from your photo album, you will automatically be taken to the Edit page. On the Edit page, you will have options to: 

• Delete the scan, if you would like to retake the photo 

• Crop the image to the edges of your document 

• Rotate the image by tapping into the Crop option 

• Enhance the brightness or contrast of the image 

• Sign the document 

After you finish editing the document, tap Done to continue to the next page, where you can share the document or use OCR. 

How do I crop an image or adjust page borders?

To adjust the cropping of your image, tap into Edit your document and select the Crop option. Drag the four dots to the corners of your document to crop it. You can also rotate the document if needed.

How do I change the lighting, contrast, or color of an image?

To enhance the brightness or contrast of your image, tap into Edit your document and select the Enhance option. Select the High Contrast or Grayscale presets for recommended enhancement options. Use the sliders to increase or decrease the brightness and contrast of the image.

How do I add pages to a document?

Tap into the document first. Then, tap the plus (+) icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to add a new page to the document.

How do I sign a document?

To sign your document, tap into Edit your document and select the Sign option. If you haven’t created a signature before, tap Add Signature to go to the Draw Signature page. Use your finger to draw your signature. Select the color you wish your signature to be. Use the minus (-) and plus (+) icons to make the line thinner or thicker. When you’re satisfied with your signature, tap Done. Your signature will be added to your list of signatures. Tap it in the menu to add it to your document. 

After your signature is added to your document, you can tap and drag it to move it. Use the circle at the bottom right corner of the signature box to make it smaller or larger. Use the delete (x) button at the top left corner of the signature box to remove it. 

Once you create a signature, it will be saved so that you can reuse it. Tap into the Sign menu to select a signature to add to any other document. You can also delete old signatures by tapping Edit in the Select Signature menu. 

How do I change the name of my document?

When you’re viewing the document, tap its name at the top of the screen. A popup will appear where you can edit the document name.

How do I change the paper or page size?

To change the paper size (dimensions) of a document, tap into the document and select the Paper Size button. Select the page dimensions you would like.

How do I rotate my document?

To rotate the document and correct its orientation, tap in to edit your document and select Crop. There, tap Rotate as many times as needed so the image is in the correct orientation.

How do I delete pages in a document?

To delete a page in a document, tap into the document and then tap the Edit button. Swipe to view the page you wish to delete. You’ll see a Delete button in the bottom left corner of the page. Tap that to delete the page you’re viewing. Once you delete a page, the action cannot be undone.

How do I delete a document?

To delete a document, go to the All Scans page and tap the Pencil icon. Tap the red circle on the document you’d like to delete, then tap Delete to confirm. Once you delete a document, the action cannot be undone.

How do I share a document?

To share your document, tap into the specific document and tap the Share button. You can share the document as a PDF or PNG. After you select the file type, you will be able to share your document by email, through your preferred mail app, in chat or texting, to your files in the cloud or on your phone, to your photo album, to print or to other apps.

How do I export a document to other apps?

To export your document to another app, tap into the specific document and tap the Share button. You can share the document as a PDF or PNG. After you select the file type, your phone’s system sharing options will be displayed, so you can export the file to any app you have set up to appear in that menu.

How do I email a document to other people?

To email your document, tap into the specific document and tap the Share button. You can email the document as a PDF or PNG. After you select the file type, select the Mail button or your preferred email app to open a new email message with the file attached. Add a recipient and customize the message if you wish, then send the email.

How do I save images to my phone’s photo album?

To save your document as images in your photo album, tap into the specific document and tap the Share button. Select JPG to create an image of each page of your document. Select Save Images to save your images to your photo album.

How do I print a document?

To print your document, tap into the specific document and tap the Share button. Select PDF to print your document. A menu of options will appear, including the option to Print if your phone is connected to a printer.

What is OCR?

OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is a way for an app to recognize the text in an image and extract it into an editable text file. OCR is a helpful mechanism to convert files you only have paper copies of into editable, digital files.

How do I use OCR to extract text from my document?

To convert your document to editable text, go to the view document page where you can see all of the pages in your file. Tap the OCR button to extract all of the text into an editable format. If your file is several pages, it may take a moment for the app to generate the text. You’ll see one page of text at a time, but you can swipe left and right to view all of the pages. Tap into the text to edit it. If you edit it but want to rerun the OCR to remove your edits, tap the Reset OCR button. To copy the text into another program, tap the Copy Text button. To share the text as a TXT file, tap the Share button and select which program - text message, email, print, or another app - you’d like to share the TXT file to.

How do I share the text from my document?

There are two ways to share the text from your document. To copy the text into another program, tap the Copy Text button. To share the text as a TXT file, tap the Share button and select which program - text message, email, print, or another app - you’d like to share the TXT file to.

How do I get the best OCR results?

To get the best quality text recognition results, a high-quality image is essential. Here are some tips for taking the best photo of your document: 

• Find a bright, well-lit location to place your paper document. 

• Make sure the document is flat, not curved or bent. 

• Avoid having shadows over the document. 

• Make sure your phone is positioned parallel to the document. 

• Hold the phone as close as possible to the document so that all edges of the document are just barely visible inside the camera frame. 

• Hold very still to take the photo. 

You can also improve the quality of the image once you’ve scanned it. 

• Use the Crop option to edit the borders of the image. Put the borders right inside the edges of the document so that none of the photo background is visible. 

• Use the Enhance option to change the brightness and contrast of your scan. We recommend the High Contrast preset mode for most documents to make them look like a digital file. However, the best option will vary depending on your specific document. 

Can I use OCR for handwriting?

Absolutely. Using our scanner app and OCR is a great way to make transcribing notes far easier. The quality of the text captured will depend on how legible the writing is and the quality of your photo of the document. See the previous FAQ for tips about how to take the best quality photo.

How do I organize my documents?

To keep your documents organized, use Tags. More flexible than folders, tags enable you to mark each document with up to 10 tags. For example, you can create tags for Contracts and Quotes, and then for each month. Mark each document with the right type of file and the month you created it. Later, to find a contract from October 2020, tap the Search button and select the tags for Contracts and October 2020.

How do I add tags to a document?

To add tags to a document, go to the All Scans page and tap the edit pencil. Taps the Tags link on the document you’d like to add to. You’ll see a list of the tags already added to the document. Type in the new tags that you’d like to add one at a time. You can add up to 10 tags per document.

How do I search for a document?

To search for a document, tap the search magnifying glass on the All Scans page. Enter the name of the document or a tag to find something.

How do I sort my documents?

To sort your documents, tap the sorting icon in the top left corner of the All Scans page. You can sort documents by name or by date created.

Where are my documents stored?

To make sure your documents are always available for you, each time you create a document, Simply Scan stores one copy of it for you locally and one copy in the cloud. This way, if you change phones, you can log back into your account to access all of your files from the cloud. Keep in mind that for this to work, you must first log in using Apple or Google on your original device.

Why should I subscribe to Simply Scan?

Subscribe to Simply Scan to access premium features and unlimited scanning. A subscription gets you: 

• A completely ad-free experience 

• More than 5 documents at a time 

• Best-quality, cloud-based OCR text recognition 

Why should I log in?

Logging into Simply Scan using your Apple or Google account helps you access your documents more easily. When you first subscribe or use Simply Scan, you have an anonymous account. You can create scans and use all app features, but if you change phones or make other changes, you may no longer be able to access your files via the app. To avoid this, we strongly recommend logging into the app with Apple or Google to ensure that you can access your files.

How do I cancel my subscription?