In this guide, we will show you how to make digital copies (image or PDF) of your physical ID using your iPhone or iPad. You can use these digital copies when filling out online forms or keep them on your device for secure backup.
Why Use Scanned Digital IDs
- For example, when you apply for a driver’s license, passport, or insurance claim, you may be required to upload a scanned image or PDF of your government or institutional ID. Related: How to Take a Passport or ID Photo with an iPhone or iPad
- You may need to scan your college or university ID to fill out exam forms, or be verified by UNiDAYS to receive educational discounts on Apple and other purchases.
- You can upload your digital ID to iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox and access them from anywhere or keep them safe.
How to Turn a Physical ID into a Photo
1) Download Microsoft Lens for free from the App Store.
2) Allow the app to access the camera and photos of your iPhone or iPad when prompted.
3) Make sure you are in the “Business Card”or “Document”section.
4) Now place your ID on a flat surface such as a table, floor, or book. Try to select only one color for the surface/background.
5) Position your iPhone correctly over your ID and take a photo by pressing the white shutter button in the Microsoft Lens app.
6) The app will take the perfect photo. If not, use four dots at the corners and four small tabs at the edges to cut off the excess parts of the background. After that, click Confirm.
7) Click Finish.
8) Finally, click “Photos”.
The scanned image is now saved in your Photos app on iPhone. From here, you can use it when filling out forms, or move it to any other app, like the Files app.
Important points:
- Photo size. Most government, university, and official websites have an upper limit on photo size. It can be from a few KB up to 2 MB. If your image is oversized, you can easily compress it to reduce the size or dimensions.
- Photo format. Some sites also have specific image format settings. Most of them require the image to be in PNG or JPG/JPEG format. You can quickly convert an image from one format to another.
- Both Sides Needed: If you need to scan the front and back sides of an ID card, you can take two scans and then use a photo editing application like Picsew, Canva, or Studio to place both scanned images side by side either vertically or horizontally.
- Use other scanner apps. Apart from Microsoft Lens, you can also use one of these best iOS apps to scan documents.
- Just use the camera: If you don’t want to download a dedicated app, you can take a standard photo of your ID using the Camera app and crop the excess parts of the image to make it look perfect.
- Photo to PDF conversion: Once you have taken a photo, you can quickly convert it to PDF. Or see the following steps to directly scan and save your ID as a PDF.
How to Turn Your Physical ID or Document into a PDF
Some sites require you to download a PDF document. If so, you can easily scan a physical ID and convert it to a PDF file. Here’s how:
1) Open the built-in Apple Files app on your iPhone or iPad.
2) Go to any folder.
3) Click the “More”button in the upper right corner and select “Scan Documents”.
4) Place an ID card or document in the camera frame. When you hold the scanner correctly, it highlights a valid ID or paper document in blue and automatically takes a picture. In addition, you can also manually press the shutter button.
5) Click “Save”if the Files app automatically took the photo.
And if you press the shutter button, the app will take you to a simple cropped screen. Adjust the edges and click Keep Scan. The app will now take you back to the scanner screen and try again to automatically take another photo, so tap Save immediately.
6) Now you can rename this PDF to something appropriate and hit the “Done”button on your keyboard.
That’s all. You have successfully converted your paper or plastic document or ID into a PDF file. You can now download it for official work, transfer it to your Mac using AirDrop, or save it to the Files app for the future.