A contract handed across a desk, a school form in a backpack, a rental agreement in the post: the paper needs your signature, and the sender wants it back today, ideally by email. You don't need a printer or a scanner. This guide goes from paper to a signed PDF with Scan Cat, our document scanner for iPhone, which can also sign and fill in PDFs.
Before you start
- Find every line that needs you: signature, initials, date, name or address, boxes to tick. On a long form, mark them with a light pencil dot.
- Scan every page, even the ones you don't sign. The sender usually wants the whole document back, in order.
1. Scan the paper
When Scan Cat opens for the first time, it asks "What are you making?". Tap Scan documents. (Scan Cat remembers your choice. To switch jobs later, tap the grid button at the top left of either home screen.)
- Tap Scan to use the document camera, and scan each page in order. Scan Cat saves the pages as soon as you finish scanning. If you already took photos of the pages, tap Import, then From Photos instead.
- Open the document and check each page. Tap a page, then Crop if the edges are off, and under Look pick Original, Grayscale, B&W or Enhanced. Apply to all pages gives every page the same look.
- Missed a page? Tap Add pages. To fix the order, tap More (⋯), then Reorder & delete pages.
Our guide on how to scan documents on iPhone covers getting a clean scan in more detail.
2. Send the scan to Sign & fill
You don't need to save the scan to Files first. Two ways open the PDF in Sign & fill, Scan Cat's other job:
- From the document: tap More (⋯), then Sign it. Scan Cat makes a searchable PDF of the scan at medium quality, on the paper size you last picked in Export.
- From Export: tap Export, choose PDF, set the paper size and quality, then tap Sign it. Sign it doesn't appear while Password is on.
Your scan stays in the Scan documents library as it was. The PDF becomes a new document in Sign & fill and opens straight in the editor.
3. Fill in the form
A scan is a picture of the paper, so there are no form fields to tap. You put your answers on the page with the tools at the bottom: Signature, Initials, Date, Text, Tick and Cross. Pick a tool, then tap the page where it goes.
- Text: tap the line, type in the box that appears, and tap Done. Double-tap it, or tap Edit, to change it later.
- Tick and Cross: these stay on after the first tap, so you can mark several boxes in a row. Tap the tool again when you're finished.
- Date: tap where the date goes, and Scan Cat puts in today's date. Tap it and choose Format to match the form: Short written, Long written, MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, DD.MM.YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD.
Drag anything to move it. Tap Done (the ✓) when it looks right, and Undo at the top takes back a mistake. For forms that arrive as PDFs with their own fields, see how to fill out a PDF form on iPhone.
4. Sign it
Tap Signature. The first time, Scan Cat asks you to make one, under Draw, Type or Photo: sign with your finger or Apple Pencil, type your name in a handwriting font, or photograph your signature on paper so Scan Cat removes the paper and keeps the ink. Tap Save, then tap the signature line on the page. Do the same with Initials for the bottom of each page.
Drag the signature to move it, and pinch or pull the corner to resize it. Black and blue ink are free. Your signature is saved, so next time you just pick Signature and tap the page. Our guide on how to sign a PDF on iPhone goes further into making and managing signatures.
5. Save and send it back
Tap Save. Scan Cat makes a new signed copy and keeps your original unchanged. Then pick:
- Share PDF to send it by Mail, Messages or any app.
- Save to Files to keep a copy in Files.
- Print if someone still wants paper.
The signed document stays in the Sign & fill library, marked Signed. To send it again later, touch and hold it and choose Share signed PDF. If the same form comes back every month, choose Sign again with same layout: Scan Cat opens a fresh copy with your text, ticks and signature where they were, and the dates moved to today.
Short on time? Scan from Sign & fill
If you're already in Sign & fill, tap Scan, then Scan paper, and the pages open as a new document to sign. To crop them or change their Look first, use Scan documents as in step 1.
What kind of signature this is
Scan Cat places an image of your signature on the PDF. It's a simple electronic signature, not a certified digital signature with an identity certificate. If a document asks for a certified or qualified signature, use the service it names, and if in doubt, ask whoever sent it. Scan Cat doesn't give legal advice.
What it costs
Scanning, text recognition, PDF export, filling, signing, saving and sharing are free, with no watermark and no limit on documents. There's no subscription, no trial, no ads and no account. Scan Cat Pro is an optional one-time purchase for both jobs. For signing it adds red, green and purple ink, Rotate for a signature, initials or tick in a sideways box, and Put on every page for your initials in one tap. For scanning it adds Fit under a size, Combine documents and Lock with Face ID. The App Store shows the price. More on the Scan Cat page.
Your documents are kept on your device and in your own backups unless you share, save or print them. Your saved signatures are kept out of backups, and one leaves only inside a signed copy you share, save or print.
Quick answers
Can I sign a paper document on my iPhone?
Yes. Scan it in Scan documents, tap More (⋯), then Sign it, place your signature and tap Save.
How do I email the signed document back?
After you tap Save, tap Share PDF and choose Mail.
Can I scan and sign a document for free?
Yes. Scanning, signing and sharing are free, with no watermark. Pro adds extras.
Try Scan Cat
Try Scan Cat: free, no watermark, no sign-up → iyio.com/apps/scan-cat