How to scan a document from an existing photo on iPhone
To scan a document from an existing photo, crop the image to the page and correct its perspective before choosing the file format. On iPhone, Photos can straighten the picture, while Dokus offers a four-corner document crop when you import an image.
You have a photo of a tenancy agreement or certificate, but the page is tilted and part of the table shows around it. You can work from that image without printing it or photographing the screen. Start by checking that its important details are already readable.
Crop and straighten the existing image
Use Apple's Photos editing tools to correct the image you have:
- Open the picture in Photos and tap the editing button.
- Choose Crop. Remove the background around the paper, keeping every required edge and detail.
- Use the straighten and vertical or horizontal perspective controls to bring the page into shape.
- Rotate it if the text is sideways, then inspect the smallest print.
- Tap Done, reopen the image and check the result at full size.
A clear-looking page can still have a clipped signature, date or reference number. Check those areas before sending it. If glare or blur hides information in the original photo, changing the crop will not recover it. Get a clearer image or scan the paper again.
Import the photo into Dokus for a document crop
Dokus lets you check the four corners of an imported document image. This is useful when you want to keep the result as a named document alongside the copies you regularly need.
- Add a document in Dokus and choose Import photo from gallery, or Import from Files if that is where the image is stored.
- At the crop step, check that the detected corners follow the sheet itself, rather than a shadow or table edge.
- Move the corners where needed. Rotate the image, try Auto again or choose Use Original if no correction helps.
- Tap Next, inspect the corrected page and give it a useful name, such as `Tenancy agreement - current`.
- Tap Add, then open the saved document before preparing a copy to send.
Documents saved on the device are available offline and protected by Face ID or Touch ID. Sync through your own iCloud is optional. New installations can keep five documents free; Dokus Plus removes that limit and lets you switch off the banner on shared copies.
Choose the output after fixing the picture
| What the recipient asks for | What to check |
|---|---|
| A JPG image | Correct crop, orientation and readable details in the exported image. |
| A PDF | The correct page and file format, as well as the crop. |
| More than one page | Every page present and in reading order. |
| Searchable or selectable text | An export that explicitly adds recognised text, tested in the actual file. |
Putting a picture into a PDF does not itself correct its perspective or make its text selectable. Choose PDF or JPG in Dokus's share editor to match the request. If the result exceeds an upload limit, prepare a smaller copy with the PDF compression tool and check the small print again.
If the paper is still available and the photo is poor, use the document scanner in Files or Notes. For several paper pages, follow the multipage PDF scanning guide. You do not need to recreate a physical page from an image just to capture it again.
Find the original without losing it
You can select an image directly for import. If document photos are scattered through your library, Dokus also offers Scan my gallery: review its suggested documents and choose which to add. Searching and cleaning up the library are optional.
A full-resolution photo stored only in iCloud may need to download before import. Keep the source image until you have opened and checked the saved document. A tidier scan remains a personal copy; use the issuer's original or certified document whenever the recipient requires it.
Check the file you will actually send
- The page's required edges, text and signatures remain visible.
- The text is upright and the page is not visibly distorted.
- The exported file opens and matches the requested format.
- No blur or reflection hides necessary information.
- The source photo remains available until the saved copy is checked.
Keep the checked document in Dokus so the next request starts with a readable copy you can find.
Common questions
Can I scan a document from a photo already on my iPhone?
Yes. Crop and straighten the image in Photos, or import it into a document app that supports cropping existing pictures. You do not need to print the photo or photograph your phone's screen.
Is converting the photo to PDF enough?
No. A PDF can contain the same tilted image and background. Correct the picture first if needed, then choose the format the recipient accepts.
Can a scanner recover text hidden by glare or blur?
A crop or perspective correction does not recover details that the source image never captured clearly. Obtain a clearer copy or scan the paper again if important information is unreadable.
Must I delete the photo after importing it into Dokus?
No. Deletion is optional. Check that the saved document is complete and readable before removing any source photo, and keep the original whenever you still need it.