How to Scan Documents to PDF With Your Phone (No App Needed)

You don't need a scanner — or even a scanning app — to turn paper into a clean PDF. Your phone's camera and a browser are enough.

How to scan with DoraPDF

1. Open Scan to PDF on your phone.
2. Tap Open camera and take a photo of the page. Add more pages the same way.
3. Drag the four pink corners to the edges of the paper. DoraPDF straightens the page automatically, even if you took the photo at an angle.
4. Choose a filter:
   • Black & white — crisp text, perfect for printed pages and notes.
   • Magic color — brightens the paper and boosts colours. Best for receipts and forms.
   • Grayscale or Lighten for softer results.
5. Press Download PDF.

Tips for a perfect scan

• Use daylight. Stand near a window and avoid using the flash, which causes glare.
• Dark background, light paper. A wooden table or dark cloth makes the page edges easy to see.
• Hold the phone flat above the page. You can still fix small angles with the corner handles.
• Fill the frame. The more of the photo the page covers, the sharper the final scan.

Make the file smaller

Scans can be large. If you need to email or upload the PDF, choose Small file quality before downloading, or run it through the PDF Compressor afterwards.

Is it private?

Yes. Your photos are processed on your phone and never uploaded — important when you're scanning ID cards, bank documents or contracts.