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Open a PDF in ScanLens, add highlights, stamps, a saved signature, or other supported annotations, review the pages, and export a separate sharing copy without printing.
To annotate a PDF on iPhone with ScanLens, open or import the file, choose the editing or markup tools, place the highlight, stamp, signature, or other available annotation, then review every affected page before exporting a new PDF. Keep the original file when the document may need a clean version later.
Annotation changes how a page is presented and reviewed. It does not automatically change the document’s original wording, create a regulated digital-signature audit trail, or prove that covered information has been securely removed. Use the specific tool that matches the job: annotation for comments and emphasis, signing for a graphical signature, and a verified redaction workflow for sensitive data.
The current App Store listing describes highlighting, redaction, stamping, annotation, and saved signatures. The exact controls available can vary by document and current app version, so the final preview is the authority before you share.
Emphasize clauses, totals, deadlines, or passages that another person needs to find quickly. Highlighting is best for review context; it should not be used to hide confidential text.
Use a stamp or other supported mark to communicate a document state such as reviewed, approved, or needs attention. A visual stamp is a workflow cue, not independent proof of approval.
Place a saved signature when the recipient accepts a graphical signature. Requirements differ by document and jurisdiction, so confirm whether the form needs identity verification, an audit trail, or another signing method.
Add the supported markup needed to call out a region, leave a visual note, or guide a reviewer. Check small text and page edges at normal zoom so an annotation does not cover required content.
A reversible working habit is more important than adding marks quickly. Use this sequence for contracts, applications, class material, and internal review copies.
Annotation adds review context on top of a page: emphasis, a mark, a stamp, or a comment-like visual cue. Editing changes document content or page structure. Signing places a signature, but a graphical signature alone may not satisfy a workflow that requires identity verification or tamper evidence. Redaction is for sensitive information and requires export verification beyond visual appearance.
Choosing the wrong category creates avoidable risk. A black mark is not automatically secure redaction, a stamp is not proof of authorization, and highlighting does not change the underlying words. For a broader editing overview, use the PDF editor guide. For sensitive details, follow the validation steps in the PDF redaction guide.
Do not rely only on the editor preview. Re-open the final PDF from Files or the destination you plan to use and confirm that all intended marks are visible.
A correct annotation on the wrong page is still an incorrect document. Confirm page count, order, rotation, and cropping after export.
Include the document purpose and state without putting confidential data in the filename. A clear name reduces accidental sharing of the clean or outdated version.
Visual marks may not communicate meaning to every reader. When the workflow permits, include the same instruction in the message or surrounding text rather than relying on color alone.
Yes. Open or import the PDF in ScanLens, add the supported annotation or signature, review the result, and export a new copy from the iPhone.
Use a separate export and keep the source. That preserves a clean original if a mark is misplaced, the recipient requests an unannotated copy, or the document must be edited again.
Not necessarily. A saved graphical signature may be accepted for many everyday forms, but it does not automatically provide identity verification, a certificate, a timestamp, or an audit trail. Check the recipient’s requirement.
No. Highlighting is for emphasis, not concealment. Use the redaction tool for sensitive information and verify the exported file rather than assuming a visible cover removed the underlying content.
You can work through a multi-page PDF, but inspect every marked page and then re-open the exported copy to confirm page order, orientation, and annotation placement.
Partly, and it is worth knowing where the line falls. ScanLens is a free app, and the Marker — a freehand pen — is the free annotation tool, so you can circle a clause or strike through a line without unlocking anything. Text boxes, highlighting, redaction, stamps, shapes and watermarks belong to the paid feature set; the pricing page lists the current plans. Nothing extra is downloaded for annotation: the tools open on the document itself.
Use ScanLens to add supported PDF marks, inspect the complete file, and export a clearly named sharing copy.