Scan and Sign Documents on iPhone

How to scan and sign a document on iPhone

Capture every page, review the PDF, place your signature and any required initials or date, then export the finished copy. ScanLens keeps the capture and signature workflow on the iPhone; the file only leaves when you share it.

How the e-signature tool works

1. Create your signature

Draw your signature with a finger on the full-screen pad. Adjust the line color or thickness, then save it for later documents.

2. Place it on the document

Drag a saved signature onto the PDF, then resize, rotate, and position it. Add it to each page that requires your signature or initials.

3. Add dates, initials, and text

Add dates, initials, and text where the form requires them. These elements become part of the exported PDF.

4. Save and share

Save the signed PDF, then email it, AirDrop it, move it to Files, or send it to your chosen cloud storage. The recipient receives a standard PDF and does not need ScanLens.

Are e-signatures legally binding?

Electronic signatures can be legally valid, but validity depends on the document, jurisdiction, consent, and evidence of who signed. Adding a drawn signature to a PDF is not automatically sufficient for every contract or filing.

United States: ESIGN Act and state law

The federal ESIGN Act says a signature or contract cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. It does not require every party to accept an electronic process, and it does not remove document-specific or state-law requirements.

Many routine business agreements can use an electronic signature, but some wills, family-law documents, court filings, notices, and notarized documents follow additional rules. Check the requirements that apply to your document before signing.

European Union: eIDAS

Article 25 of the eIDAS Regulation says an electronic signature cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. It also says a qualified electronic signature has the equivalent legal effect of a handwritten signature. The regulation distinguishes three levels:

• Simple Electronic Signature (SES) — any electronic data attached to a document to sign it. This is what ScanLens produces. Recognized in court under eIDAS, cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic.
• Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) — uniquely linked to the signer, capable of identifying them, created under their sole control, and tamper-evident. Requires additional cryptographic infrastructure.
• Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) — an AES issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider on a qualified signature creation device. Has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature across all EU member states.

A drawn signature placed with ScanLens is a simple electronic signature, not an Advanced or Qualified Electronic Signature. If a recipient requires AES, QES, identity verification, an audit trail, or a qualified trust provider, use a signing service built for that requirement.

When you might still need wet ink

Even in jurisdictions that broadly recognize e-signatures, some document types traditionally still require physical signatures or notarization:

• Wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts in most jurisdictions
• Certain court filings and sworn statements
• Some real estate documents, depending on jurisdiction
• Documents that must be notarized (though remote online notarization is becoming widely available)
• Specific regulatory submissions where the law explicitly requires original ink signatures

We are not lawyers and nothing on this page is legal advice. For documents where legal enforceability matters, consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.

Security and privacy

Signatures are personal. We treat them that way.

Stored locally on your device

Your saved signatures live on your iPhone in the app's secure storage. They are not uploaded to a ScanLens server and are not visible to us. Signature data is included in the app's backup to your own iCloud if you have iCloud Backup enabled — that is your backup, not ours.

On-device rendering

When you place a signature on a PDF, the rendering happens locally. The signed PDF is produced on your iPhone. You choose where it goes next — keeping it on your device, sharing it over AirDrop, emailing it, or syncing it to a cloud service you control.

App Lock protection

You can enable Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode lock on the entire ScanLens app. This prevents someone who picks up your unlocked phone from opening ScanLens, accessing your saved signatures, or viewing signed documents.

PDF encryption for signed documents

For extra sensitive signed documents, you can apply password protection to the PDF after signing. The recipient needs the password to open the document. See the password-protect PDF feature for details.