iOS 15.4 Adds New 'Scan Text' Shortcut in Notes App

iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 were released to the public last week, and one new change is the addition of a "Scan Text" shortcut for quickly scanning printed or handwritten text into the Notes app on the iPhone and iPad.

scan text notes ios 15 4 feature
Apple recently shared a video with step-by-step instructions on how to use the Scan Text feature. On a device running iOS 15.4 or iPadOS 15.4, simply open the Notes app, tap the camera icon, tap "Scan Text," and tap the insert button once the text has been added to the note. The "Scan Text" shortcut has also been added to the Reminders app.


On earlier versions of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, scanning text into the Notes app required tapping on a note's text field and tapping the Live Text icon.

iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 introduced several other features, including the ability to unlock an iPhone 12 or newer with Face ID while wearing a mask, Universal Control on compatible iPad models, dozens of new emoji, a new Siri voice option, the ability to initiate SharePlay sessions directly from supported apps, and more.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

yellow8 Avatar
31 months ago
Useful trick!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Fork Avatar
31 months ago


Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
31 months ago
This is a very rich and handful feature for college students.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
31 months ago
This will be very useful!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jason2000 Avatar
31 months ago

Just reminds me of my days with the Newton, which I used successfully for many years.
Cool story.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
russell_314 Avatar
31 months ago

Yeah, also so you wouldn’t get suckered into getting a subscription for those pesky document adds that scan documents for like 99 bucks a year. For those who didn’t know the Notes app does this! Hehe

I had to find this out the hard way by myself… it was a learning experience to say the least
You can also scan documents directly into the Files app just like a regular scanner. The quality is not as good as a flatbed scanner so not good for photos but to scan and send documents it’s perfect
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)