A scanner app that works without internet

What works offline

Scanner App does its work on the iPhone. The camera, the edge detection and the text recognition all run on the device. No page goes to a server for processing. These functions work in Airplane Mode:

• Scan and crop. The app finds the four corners and crops the page straight. You can adjust the corners by hand.
• Multi-page PDF. Scan several pages into one document. Add and reorder pages later.
• OCR with Copy All. Text recognition reads the words on the page. Copy All puts the full text on the clipboard.
• E-signature. Draw your signature with your finger, set the color and the line thickness, and place it on the page.
• Folders, search and the Safe folder. Sort scans into folders, find a document with search, and lock private files in the Safe folder with a password.
• Import and print. Import a PDF that is already on your iPhone. Print to a printer on your local network.

What needs a connection

Some steps always need the internet. This is true for every app, not only for Scanner App:

• Download and updates. The App Store needs a connection to install or update the app.
• Pro purchase and trial. Start the 3-day free trial, buy Pro or restore a purchase while you are online.
• Sending files. Email, messages and cloud uploads leave when the iPhone is online. iOS keeps an unsent email in the Outbox until then.

Scan without internet

Use these steps on a plane, in a basement archive or anywhere with no signal.

1. Prepare while you are online. Install Scanner App from the App Store and open it once. If you want Pro, start the 3-day free trial or buy it now, because the App Store needs a connection.
2. Go offline. Turn on Airplane Mode, or simply use the app where there is no signal.
3. Scan the pages. Tap the scan button and hold the iPhone above the page. The app finds the corners and crops the page. Add more pages to the same document.
4. Read the text and sign. Use OCR text recognition and tap Copy All to copy the text. Draw your signature and place it on the page.
5. Store the document. Put the document in a folder, or in the Safe folder that is locked with a password. It stays on your iPhone.
6. Share when you need to. Print the document or share it as a PDF or JPG. Email and cloud uploads go out when you have a connection again.

When offline scanning helps

An offline scanner is not only for places with no signal. It also changes who can see your documents.

• Privacy. A passport, a medical letter or a contract is processed on your iPhone. Scanner App stores it locally and does not sync it to a cloud. The file leaves the device only when you share it.
• Travel. Scan receipts, tickets and forms on a plane or abroad. You do not need roaming data or hotel Wi-Fi.
• Weak signal. Warehouses, building sites, hospitals and rural areas often have poor coverage. The scan does not wait for an upload.
• Mobile data. Processing on the device uses no data. You decide when a file goes out, and at which size. Small JPG and PDF exports keep uploads light later.

Offline options on iPhone

The built-in scanner in the Notes app and the Files app also works offline. It is a good choice for a quick scan. Scanner App adds text copy, signatures and a locked folder that also work without a connection.

For the built-in steps, read how to scan documents on iPhone.

Test any scanner app

Many scanner apps work in different ways. Some ask you to sign in to an account. Some send pages to a server for text recognition or file conversion. App descriptions do not always say this clearly. A five-minute test gives you the answer:

1. Turn on Airplane Mode and turn off Wi-Fi.
2. Open the app and scan a page with small print.
3. Run the text recognition and copy the result.
4. Save a multi-page PDF and open it again.
5. Check the App Privacy section on the app's App Store page. It lists the data the app collects.

If one step shows an error or a sign-in screen, that function needs the internet. To compare apps by more than offline use, read the best document scanner apps for iPhone.