How to Scan & Sign Tax Docs

(without a scanner)

How to scan your tax documents with your iPhone or iPad

If you've got an iPhone or iPad, you have a couple of ways to scan your documents with your camera, but we'll be focusing on using the Files app. This method is preferred because the document is saved in Files, which makes it easy to then edit and share to your computer or other devices.

1. To start, open the Files app.

2. Next, tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right.

3. Hit Scan Documents.

Your camera will then open, and you'll be asked to position the document in view. The best way to scan your tax document is to place it on a flat surface, like a table or desk, in a well-lit area. Stay away from any surfaces that are white or reflect too much light, or else the camera won't be able to scan the document properly.

Now, position the phone or tablet so that it's directly over the document and you'll see a blue overlay appear on the document, indicating it's being scanned. If the document is scanned correctly, it'll automatically be placed into your completed scans, allowing you to scan more documents if you wish.

You can then tap the document preview in the bottom-left to rescan or edit your documents. You can crop them -- in case the automatic scanning wasn't great -- and add a filter (such as grayscale) to improve their readability. If you're happy with the scans, tap Save to store the document as a PDF in the Files app. You can then rename the document or share it via email. If you plan on filing taxes on your mobile device, you can also upload the PDF to any tax apps via the Files app.

How to scan your tax papers with your Android

On Android, there are a few ways to scan documents, but it usually varies slightly depending on the model of the phone. While phones newer than the Pixel 7 and the Galaxy S22 have built-in document scanners in their Camera apps, other phones do not. So instead, we'll be scanning documents through the Google Drive app (which technically isn't built-in, but most Android devices have the Google Drive app preinstalled, so it's just as good).

1. First, open the Google Drive app.

2. Next, tap the blue + button on the bottom right.

3. Then, tap Scan.

With your physical tax document laid flat on a non reflective surface, place the camera directly over the paper and position it in the frame. Make sure the tax document is in focus, and then hit the shutter button to take a photo. If the image looks good, tap OK. You should then see an automatically cropped image of your tax document. You can then add a filter to the document (such as black and white), rotate it and edit the borders. If you want to add more documents, tap on the + icon on the bottom-left.

If you're happy with your scans, hit Save on the bottom right. Then, you can give the document a name, choose an account (in case you have multiple) and select a folder to save the document (as a PDF) in. Once you do that, hit Save again on the bottom-right. With your tax document saved to Google Drive, you can add comments, search through it via keywords and of course share it via email or directly to any tax apps you might have on your Android.

Easily sign a document on your iPhone

If the document you want to sign is in an email, first save it to Files.

Here's how you sign it from there.

1. Open Files.
2. Tap the document you want to sign.
3. Tap the icon across the bottom of your screen that looks like a pen tip in a circle.
4. Tap Add Signature.
5. Sign your name on this new screen with your finger then tap Done.

Your signature will appear on the page, and you can place it wherever you want. You can also resize your signature if it's too small or large for the signing area. Once you've moved and resized your signature, tap Done in the top-right corner of the document to save it.

Your signature will also be saved on your iPhone and can be used later. To use a saved signature, follow the above instructions and tap Add Signature, then select your previous signature, or you can tap Add or Remove Signature to create a new one.

Once you've signed and saved the file, you can attach it to an email or send it however you want. Congratulations! You just saved yourself money on printer ink and potentially a run to an office supply store.

To sign a PDF on an Android phone, you can use the Adobe Acrobat app or the Docusign app

Using Adobe Acrobat

Open the PDF in the Adobe Acrobat app
Tap the blue pen icon at the bottom of the screen
Tap Fill & Sign
Tap the fountain pen icon
Tap Create Signature
Draw your signature
Position and resize your signature
Tap the blue tick icon

Using Docusign

Upload the PDF to the Docusign app
Sign the document

Scan documents using the Dropbox mobile app

You can use the document scanning feature in the Dropbox mobile app to scan files directly to your Dropbox account or convert existing files to scans.

How to scan a new file to your Dropbox account

To scan a new file to your Dropbox account:

Open the Dropbox app on your mobile device.
Tap the “+” (plus) icon.
Tap Scan Document.
Either take a picture of the content you’d like to scan, or select an existing image on your mobile device.
- To redo a scan, tap Retake.
If desired, make edits or scan additional pages.
- You can crop, rotate, or add a filter to the image, as well as add, delete, or rearrange the order of scanned pages.
Tap Next.
If desired, adjust the save settings.
Tap Save.

How to convert an image (.jpg etc.) in your Dropbox account to a scan

To convert an image in your Dropbox account to a scan:

Open the Dropbox app on your mobile device.
Tap "..." (ellipsis) next to the name of the file you’d like to convert to a scan.
Tap Save as Scan.
If desired, make edits or scan additional pages.
Tap Next.
If desired, adjust the save settings.
Tap Save.

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