How to Make a PDF on iPhone in iOS 26: Scan, Convert and Sign

Quick answer: In iOS 26, the built-in Preview app gives iPhone users a direct PDF workflow. You can scan a paper document into a PDF, export an image as PDF, manage PDF pages, fill forms, add a signature, and save or move the result. That makes Preview the best starting point for most “make a PDF on iPhone” tasks.

Method 1: Scan a paper document directly into a PDF

Apple’s current Preview guide explicitly says scanning text or a document creates a PDF.

  1. Open Preview on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Scan Documents.
  3. Hold the camera over the page. By default, iPhone can capture the page automatically; switch from Auto to Manual if you want to press the shutter yourself.
  4. Scan additional pages if needed.
  5. Tap a thumbnail to crop, rotate, or adjust the scan.
  6. Tap Done.

This is the clearest current built-in workflow for receipts, forms, letters, and other paper. See Apple’s iOS 26 Preview document-scanning instructions.

Method 2: Convert an image to PDF in Preview

If the source is already a photo or image file, you do not need to re-scan it.

  1. Open the image in Preview.
  2. Tap the Actions Menu beside the filename.
  3. Tap Export.
  4. Select PDF as the format.
  5. Save the exported file where you want it.

Apple’s current Preview export documentation lists PDF alongside HEIC, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF as supported export formats. It also provides a file-size adjustment during export. See Apple’s Preview export guide.

Method 3: Create a multi-page PDF from paper

Use the same Preview scanner and continue scanning before tapping Done. Each captured page becomes part of the document. This is preferable to promising that every group of photos can be merged with a particular hidden Files shortcut, because menu options can vary by source file and iOS version.

Fill out and sign a PDF on iPhone

Once a PDF exists, Preview can fill compatible form fields and add a signature:

  1. Open the PDF form in Preview.
  2. Tap the Form Filling control.
  3. Tap a field and enter the information.
  4. To add a signature or text form box, tap the Add button and choose the appropriate option.

Apple documents this in its current Preview form-filling and signing guide.

What about the old “Print, then pinch the preview” trick?

Older iPhone guides often make the Print preview gesture the main PDF method. It can still appear in some share/print workflows, but iOS 26 now has a dedicated Preview app with documented scanning, export, page management, signing, and PDF tools. For a current guide, Preview is a clearer primary workflow and avoids treating an undocumented shortcut as the only route.

Where does the PDF go?

Preview lets you save, rename, duplicate, and move PDFs and images. Choose a location you will recognize, especially for tax, travel, legal, or work documents. A generic filename such as “Scan 1” is easy to lose later; rename the file with a useful subject and date when appropriate.

Be careful with sensitive documents

Before sending a PDF containing IDs, financial records, health information, signatures, or contracts, verify the recipient and the file you attached. Preview also includes PDF locking, but password-protecting a file does not fix sending it to the wrong person. Keep an unprotected original only if that is appropriate for your workflow.

Common problems

The scan captures automatically before I am ready

In Preview’s scanner, tap Auto to switch to Manual, then use the shutter button yourself.

The PDF is too large

Preview’s export workflow includes a file-size adjustment. Reducing file size can affect the output, so keep the original until you have checked the compressed copy.

I need to change existing PDF text

Do not assume every PDF is an editable word-processing document. Preview supports annotations, page operations, forms, and added text/signatures, but the ability to rewrite existing PDF content depends on how that PDF was created.

FAQ

Can iPhone create a PDF without a third-party app?

Yes. In iOS 26, Apple’s Preview app can scan documents into PDF and export supported images/files as PDF.

Can I scan multiple pages into one PDF?

Yes. Apple’s Preview scanner lets you repeat the scan step for additional pages before finishing.

Can I sign a PDF on iPhone?

Yes. Preview supports filling PDF forms and adding a signature through its form/annotation controls.

Do I need to upload a document to an online converter?

No for the workflows covered here. Built-in Preview can handle scanning and PDF export locally on the iPhone, which also avoids sending sensitive documents to an unknown conversion website.

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