iPhone text scanner

Text scanner for iPhone. Scan text, copy it, search it.

ScanWow is an OCR text scanner for iPhone and iPad. Scan a page or import a photo, and ScanWow reads the words on it. You can copy the text, share it as text, and search inside your scans in the app. OCR runs in 17 languages, on your device for most languages. Free to download with 3 free documents. Pro is a one-time $4.99 in the US, with no subscription.

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What the text scanner does

Reads printed text on documents, receipts, letters, forms, and notes
Image to text: import a photo or a PDF from Photos or Files and ScanWow reads it too
Copy text: put the recognized words on the clipboard and paste them into Notes, Mail, or any app
Share text: send the words on their own, without the image
Search inside your scans by the words they contain
OCR in 17 languages, on your device for most languages
Export the page as a PDF too, when you need the original look
No account required to start scanning

Scan text in four steps

Open ScanWow and point the camera at the page, or import a photo or PDF you already have.
Confirm the crop. ScanWow reads the text on the page.
Switch to the Text tab to read the words, then tap Copy text or Share text.
Later, find the scan again by searching for any word on it in the app.

Getting clean text

Light and focus matter most: Even light, no glare, and a steady phone give the best results.
Pick the language: Choose your OCR language in Settings, especially for offline scanning.
Scan mode is only the look: Text recognition always reads the full-color scan. B&W or Gray change how the page looks when you share or print it, not the text it finds.
Hard pages: Optional Magic Enhance (Anthropic Claude, with Google Gemini as a backup) can clean up a difficult page. It is only used when you tap it on a page, and you can turn Magic Cloud off in Settings.
More tips: See when OCR misses text and scanning in low light.

Free to try, then a one-time Pro

Free to try

Download is free. Your first 3 documents are free. A multi-page scan counts as one document, and so does a photo or PDF import. Text recognition, copy and share text, search inside your scans, and PDF export are included for everyone.

Pro, once

ScanWow Pro is $4.99 once in the US (the App Store shows your local price). Pro adds unlimited scans, Automatic iCloud Backup to your own iCloud, and 1,000 Magic Enhance credits. No monthly fee. See full pricing.

Privacy and where your pages go

ScanWow reads text on your device by default, and your scans are never stored on our servers. A page is only sent for AI cleanup when you tap Magic Enhance on it. To keep every page on your device, turn off Magic Cloud in Settings and leave iCloud Backup and Secure API Export off. Text you copy or share goes wherever you paste or send it. Details are on the Privacy Policy.

Common questions

What is the best free text scanner app for iPhone?

ScanWow is free to download, and your first 3 documents are free. It reads text in 17 languages, lets you copy or share the text, and lets you search inside your scans without paying. ScanWow Pro is an optional one-time $4.99 in the US for unlimited scans, automatic iCloud Backup, and 1,000 Magic Enhance credits. There is no subscription.

Can I turn an image into text on iPhone?

Yes. Import a photo or a PDF from Photos or Files and ScanWow reads the text on it, just like a new scan. Then use Copy text or Share text to use the words anywhere.

Does the OCR work offline?

For most languages, yes. Text recognition runs on your device and works without a connection. A few languages download their language data the first time you use them, so run one scan in that language while you are online. Magic Enhance needs a connection when you choose to use it.

Which languages can ScanWow read?

ScanWow reads 17 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Vietnamese, Polish, Dutch, and Turkish. Pick your language in Settings.

Does ScanWow make searchable PDF files?

ScanWow recognizes text when you scan and lets you search inside your scans in the app, and you can copy the text out. Exported PDFs are image-based today. You can still name files clearly and find them in Files by filename.

Ready to scan text?

Free to download. 3 documents free. Pro is $4.99 once. No subscription.

Download on the App Store