Scanning documents in iOS Files app results in huge file dimensions

Question

Level 1

118 points

Scanning documents in iOS Files app results in huge file dimensions

I see that this has been asked before, but that was a while ago and no one has replied for a while, so please let me ask the question again.

When I scan an A4 size document using a dedicated scanner app like SwiftScan, I get a PDF which is 210 x 297 mm (which is exactly the size of DIN A4), and a file size of plus/minus 100 KB.

Now when I use iOS's built in scanner instead, the resulting files not only are way heavier (> 1 MB compared to ~100 KB), but also the dimensions of the document are much bigger, like here in this example 696 x 1056 mm, which has nothing to do with DIN A4).

I can't find any setting for iOS built in scanner app which would produce better results - that is, correct dimensions and much smaller files. Or does anybody have an idea on how to achieve this?

iPhone 13 Pro

Posted on Aug 24, 2022 8:32 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

faith185

Community Specialist

Aug 25, 2022 10:56 AM in response to iCoco

Hello iCoco,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. Currently, documents can be scanned using the Notes app as it sounds like you have done using the steps from How to scan documents on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support.

However, the ability to reduce a document's size is available on Mac, not iOS devices. If you also use a Mac and want to learn more about that, check out Reduce a document’s file size in Pages on Mac - Apple Support.

Since this is a function you may like to see in the future, you can also send Apple your feedback for future releases - Product Feedback - Apple.

Have a great day!

Reply

Answer 2

iCoco Author

Level 1

118 points

Aug 29, 2022 8:38 AM in response to faith185

Hi @faith185 Thank you for your reply.

I have been using the scanning function within notes app as well as that within the files app. Both result in (a) way heavier files and (b) huge dimensions that have nothing to do with the size of the original document. When opening such a PDF with Preview on a Mac, the PDF document fills up all screen real estate, rather than the usual A4 preview I get when scanned with SwiftScan.

A dedicated scanner app like SwiftScan however is "intelligent" enough to fit the scan to the original document much better, so that those values, and thus the resulting PDF, are much closer to reality, and much smaller.

I do use PDF Expert for reducing file sizes, but that is an additional step that would otherwise not be necessary. And doing that, I can only reduce the "weight" of the file, not the dimensions, so it doesn't help with that.

I'll go ahead and send feedback to Apple. However, I guess that there are more people out there who don't like this scanning behavior, so I was hoping that there might be a workaround, setting or such ...

Reply

Answer 3

iCoco Author

Level 1

118 points

Oct 7, 2022 1:24 AM in response to iCoco

Upgraded to iOS 16.0.2 in the meantime, but the built in scanning function is still producing extremely large and heavy files. :/

Reply

Scanning documents in iOS Files app results in huge file dimensions

Similar questions