Install guide & FAQ — CamScanPDF

Installing CamScanPDF

CamScanPDF is a web app you install from your browser, so there's nothing to find in an app store. On phones and tablets it needs to be installed before it opens; on a PC or Mac you can use it straight in the browser.

iPhone & iPad (Safari)

Open app.camscanpdf.com in Safari. If you opened the link inside another app (like WhatsApp or Gmail), use its menu to choose Open in Safari first.
Tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up). Depending on your iOS version it's at the top right, at the bottom of the screen, or under ⋯.
Tap View More, scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
Tap Add, then open CamScanPDF from your home screen.

Android (Chrome, Samsung Internet, Edge)

Open app.camscanpdf.com in your browser.
Tap Install CamScanPDF on the page. If you don't see it, open the browser menu (⋮ or ☰) and choose Install app or Add to Home screen.
Open CamScanPDF from your home screen or app drawer.

PC & Mac

Open app.camscanpdf.com in Chrome, Edge or Safari.
Use it in the browser tab, or install it as a desktop app with the install icon in the address bar (Chrome/Edge) or File → Add to Dock (Safari on macOS Sonoma or later).

Handy for opening the PDFs you scanned on your phone, or uploading photos you already have.

Frequently asked questions

Is CamScanPDF really free?

Yes. Every feature is free right now, with no ads and no watermarks. We may introduce optional paid plans in future to cover running costs. If that happens, we'll give you notice in advance and you'll always be able to download your existing scans.

Do I need an account?

Yes, a free account (email and password) lets your scans sync between your devices and keeps them safe if you lose your phone. You create it inside the app.

Where are my scans stored?

Your scans are uploaded over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection and stored on our server, where they're processed into PDFs. Each account can only see its own documents. Recent documents are also cached on your device so they open quickly. See our privacy policy for details.

Does it work without internet?

You can scan without a connection. Pages are queued on your device and uploaded automatically when you're back online. Cropping, straightening, text recognition and PDF creation happen on our server, so the finished PDF appears once the upload completes.

Which languages can it read?

Text recognition (OCR) currently supports English and Afrikaans. The recognised text is embedded in the PDF so you can search and copy it, and you can search for it inside the app.

Can I fix a page after scanning it?

Yes. The original photo is kept, so you can re-crop a page, change its filter (magic colour, greyscale or black & white), rotate it, reorder pages or delete them at any time.

Why does the app ask for camera access?

To scan pages. The camera is only used while you're on the scan screen, and photos are only uploaded when you save a page.

How do I share or download a PDF?

Open a document and use the share or download button. On a phone this opens your usual share sheet, so you can send the PDF via WhatsApp, email, Drive and so on.

How do I delete my documents or my account?

Delete any document or page from inside the app; its images and PDF are removed from our server straight away. To delete your whole account and everything in it, email hello@camscanpdf.com from the address you signed up with.

I have another question or found a bug

We'd love to hear from you: hello@camscanpdf.com.