Convert Photos to PDF on iPhone (Files, Notes, and Browser)

Quick answer

Your iPhone can create PDFs on its own. If the photo is saved in the Files app, touch and hold it, then choose Quick Actions › Create PDF. If you still need to photograph a document, use the scanner in the Notes app to create a neatly cropped PDF. And if your photos are only in your library and you want to arrange several in a specific order, the quickest way is to use your browser with the Images to PDF tool.

Choose based on where you’re starting: a photo you’ve already taken of a document, a document that’s still on your desk, or several images you want to combine into one file.

Method 1: Files app (existing photos)

The Files app has a hidden command that converts images to PDF without reducing their quality.

1. In the Photos app, open the picture, tap Share (the square with an arrow), and choose Save to Files. Save all your pictures in the same folder.
2. Open the Files app and go to that folder.
3. For one photo: touch and hold its thumbnail, then choose Quick Actions › Create PDF.
4. For several photos: tap the three dots at the top, choose Select, select the photos, tap the three dots in the bottom corner, and choose Create PDF.
5. The PDF appears in the same folder, named after the first image. Touch and hold it to rename it.

Pages follow the order of the files in the folder. If the order matters (for front and back pages or contract pages, for example), rename the photos with numbers like 01, 02, and 03 first.

Method 2: Notes scanner (paper document)

For paper documents, the Notes scanner usually works better than taking a picture with your camera because it crops the edges and straightens the page.

1. Open the Notes app and create a new note.
2. Tap the camera icon (or the paperclip, depending on your iOS version) and choose Scan Documents.
3. Point your camera at the document on a dark, well-lit surface. The scan may happen automatically, or you can tap the shutter button.
4. Adjust the corners if needed, tap Keep Scan, and repeat for any other pages. When you’re done, tap Save.
5. Tap the scanned document, then tap Share to send it or save it to Files. It will be a PDF.

The Files app has the same feature: tap the three dots at the top, choose Scan Documents, and the PDF will be saved directly to the open folder.

Method 3: Use your browser to control page order and margins

If you have several photos in your library and want to choose their order, page size (such as A4), and margins, you can do it in your browser without installing anything:

1. Open Images to PDF in Safari.
2. Tap Choose files, then tap Photo Library to select images from your library.
3. Drag the tiles into the right order, choose a page size and margins, then tap Convert to PDF.
4. Download the file. It will be in Files › Downloads.

iPhone photos are usually in HEIC format. The tool supports HEIC, too. If all your photos are HEIC, the HEIC to PDF page offers the same conversion, ready for that format. If your photo shows a document at an angle or with shadows, run it through the Document Scanner first to correct the perspective and whiten the background.

Common problems

• Can’t find Create PDF: The photo is still in the Photos app. This command is only available in Files, so save the image there first.
• The PDF is too large: 12-megapixel photos can create large files. Learn how to reduce the file size in How to Reduce a PDF File Size.
• Pages are out of order: In the Files app, page order follows the file names. Rename the files or use your browser, where you can drag them into order.
• Text is hard to read: Retake the photo in natural light, without flash, with your phone parallel to the document. No converter can fix blurry text.

Frequently asked questions