Guides · Documents and PDF
Edit a scanned document: change text, fill in, sign
A scan is a picture of a sheet of paper. You can still change text on it, fill in fields and sign. Here is how it works on the iPhone.
You have scanned a sheet and want to change something on it: a date is wrong, a field is empty, or the signature is missing. This guide shows what is possible with a scan and how to do it with the free Scan2List app.
Why a scan cannot be edited like a text file
Scanning produces a picture of the page. The letters on it are pixels, not characters as in Word. That is why you cannot simply tap into a line and keep typing. When people say “edit”, they usually mean one of three things:
- Adding something: text, a cross, the date or a signature
- Changing printed text: a wrong date, an old name, a number
- Getting the text out to use it somewhere else
All three work on the iPhone.
What you need
- An iPhone with iOS 16 or later
- The Scan2List app. It is free, and you do not need an account.
- The sheet on paper, or a picture of it in your photos
Important: Scan2List works with paper you scan and with pictures from your photos. It cannot open a PDF file you already have. What you can do in that case is described further down.
Step 1: Get the sheet into the app
Open Scan2List and switch to “Scan2PDF” at the bottom. Tap “Scan” and point the camera at the sheet. A blue frame shows what the app detects as the page. The app crops the page and straightens it. If the scan is already a picture in your photos, tap “Photos” instead and pick the picture.
Step 2: Add something
Open the document and tap “Edit”. The tools are at the bottom. Choose one and tap the spot where it should go:
- Text: You type what should be there. You can change the font and make the text larger or smaller.
- Cross and Check: for boxes to tick
- Date: inserts today’s date
- Signature: You sign with your finger. The app remembers the signature for next time.
You can move, resize or delete anything you have added. Tap “Done” to save.
Step 3: Change printed text
Choose the “Change” tool and tap the printed line. The app covers the line in the color of the paper, and you write the new text in the same place. This works best with printed text on plain paper.
Only change documents you are allowed to change. Altering someone else’s invoice, a certificate or a contract afterwards and then using it can be a criminal offense.
Step 4: Share as PDF
In the document, tap “Share PDF”. You can send the PDF by email or message, save it to Files or print it.
Copy the text out of the scan
The app recognizes the text on the pages. That is why you can select and copy it in the finished PDF. Save the PDF to Files, open it there, touch and hold a word and select the passage. Paste the copied text into Notes, Pages or Word and keep writing there.
Recognition is good for cleanly printed text. Still, check numbers and names before you reuse the text.
Arrange, rotate and delete pages
In the document, touch and hold a page and drag it to where you want it. Tap a page to rotate or delete it. Use “Add page” to add more pages. At the top you switch between “Color” and “Black & white”. Black & white often makes text easier to read and the PDF smaller.
If you only have the PDF file
If you no longer have the sheet on paper but only as a PDF file, Scan2List cannot help. The iPhone has its own tools for that: from iOS 26, open the file in Apple’s Preview app. There you can add text and a signature and fill in forms.
The steps for Apple’s apps describe iOS 26. In other versions, buttons may have different names or sit in a different place. Everything here is general information, not legal advice and not legally binding. Please check for yourself what applies in your case.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything?
No. Scanning, editing and sharing are free and unlimited in Scan2List. More about pricing ›
Can I undo a change?
Yes. The app puts everything you add or change on top of the scanned picture. The picture itself stays as it is. Open the document with “Edit” again, tap what you added and delete it.
Does my document stay on the iPhone?
Yes. Your documents are stored only on your iPhone and are not uploaded. Only what you share yourself leaves the iPhone.
Can I keep editing the document in Word afterwards?
Not directly, because the app creates a PDF and not a Word file. But you can copy the recognized text from the PDF and paste it into Word.
Read on: Scan a document on iPhone · Fill in and sign a form · Merge scans into one PDF