Do I need an account to use PDF Scanner?
No. PDF Scanner does not require an account to start scanning, and it does not require one to export. You can install it, capture a page, correct it, and get a finished PDF or JPG with no watermark without ever entering an email address. There is nothing to sign in to because there is nothing stored on a server — scans are processed and kept on your iPhone.
The short version
- No account or sign-up is required to start scanning with PDF Scanner.
- Exporting to PDF or JPG is free, watermark-free, and needs no account.
- Scans are processed and stored on the iPhone; document images are not uploaded to a server.
- Because there is no sign-in step, the app works with no network connection at all.
- A subscription or one-time purchase unlocks extras such as additional OCR language packs and is handled through the App Store.
- Requires iOS 16 or later.
Frequently asked
- Why do other scanner apps ask for an account?
- Usually because they store or sync your documents on their own servers, which requires identifying whose documents they are. An app that keeps everything on the device has no such requirement.
- If there is no account, where are my scans stored?
- On the iPhone, in the app. That also means they are covered by your normal device backup and are removed with the app, so export anything you need to keep long term.
- Do I need an account to pay for the extras?
- Purchases go through your existing App Store account, the same as any other iPhone app. That is not an account with the scanner — you never create a separate login.
- What happens to my scans if I get a new phone?
- They travel with your device backup rather than with a server-side profile, because there is no server-side profile. For anything important, export the PDF and keep it where you keep your other files.
- Does skipping the account mean fewer features?
- No. Every scan mode, every editing tool, OCR and both export formats work without one. What you give up is server-side storage, which is the point.
Last updated 2026-07-28