Documentation

meScan User Manual

meScan is a US-based iPhone document scanner with OCR, GEO-tagged digital signatures, and cloud backup. This manual covers the core workflows and best practices for contractors and field teams.

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meScan app manual overview screenshot

Manual Library

Documentation for every workflow

Explore the manuals below to learn how meScan works, troubleshoot issues, and review every user-facing feature. Expand a manual to read full details.

Operations

Operations & Troubleshooting

System requirements, backup and restore, share extension, and issue fixes.

 Features

Feature Catalog

Complete list of user-facing features and settings across the app.

 User Guide

User Guide

End-to-end instructions for scanning, organizing, sharing, and backups.
Operations & Troubleshooting Audience: support, operations, QA, and marketing teams who need detailed behavior and edge cases.

Operations & Troubleshooting

Audience: support, operations, QA, and marketing teams who need detailed behavior and edge cases.

System requirements and permissions

  • iOS: 17.0 or later
  • Devices: iPhone and iPad
  • Permissions:
    • Camera: required for scanning
    • Photos: required for photo import
    • Location (optional): GPS tagging for documents/signatures
    • Face ID / Touch ID (optional): biometric unlock

Data storage model (high level)

  • All documents and metadata are stored locally on the device.
  • No automatic cloud sync.
  • Backups are user-controlled (iCloud Drive or Google Drive).

Backup operations (iCloud Drive)

Backup location

Backups are stored in:

[User Selected Folder]/meScanner/Backups/CurrentBackup

What gets backed up

From BACKUP_CONTENTS_SUMMARY.md, backups include:

  • User profile
  • Categories
  • Folders
  • Friends/family contacts
  • Document metadata + PDFs
  • OCR text files
  • GPS data
  • History log
  • Signatures (PNG images)
  • App settings

What is not backed up

For security:

  • Master password hash
  • Security question answers
  • Recovery email hash

These are stored in Keychain only. After restore, users must re-enter them.

Backup schedules

Settings > Backup:

  • Auto (if updates), Weekly, Monthly, or Never.
  • Auto mode runs when new documents are added on app open/close.

Fresh Backup

  • Fresh Backup deletes the existing backup folder before creating a new one.
  • Use when you need a backup that exactly matches the device state.
  • It permanently removes deleted documents from the backup.
  • The app waits for iCloud to process the deletion before writing the new backup.

Backup operations (Google Drive)

  • Requires authentication in Settings > Backup > Google Drive Backup.
  • Supports scheduled backups (weekly/monthly) and manual "Backup Now".
  • Storage path: meScanner/Backups/CurrentBackup in Google Drive.

Restore operations

Selecting a backup folder

The restore picker accepts:

  • The root backup folder
  • The meScanner folder
  • The Backups folder
  • The CurrentBackup folder

The app searches for manifest.json across these paths.

Restore modes

  • Replace All: deletes current data before restoring.
  • Merge: keeps existing data and merges restored items.

What is restored

Based on RESTORE_ANALYSIS.md:

  • User profile
  • Categories
  • Folders
  • Friends & family
  • Documents + PDFs + OCR text + GPS
  • Settings (all app settings)
  • Signatures (images restored; metadata defaults)

What is partially restored

  • Security questions: questions restored, answers must be re-entered.
  • Master password: must be set again after restore.

Share extension operations

The share extension imports:

  • PDF files
  • Images
  • Text or RTF
  • .mescan packages

When users choose meScan in the share sheet:

  1. File is transferred to the shared app group container.
  2. meScan opens automatically.
  3. Preview screen appears with imported content.
  4. User taps Continue and saves.

Common issues and fixes

  • Backup location not set: Symptom: Backup disabled or "Backup Now" unavailable. Fix: Settings > Backup > Select Backup Location (iCloud Drive).
  • Backup appears incomplete or missing: Symptom: Files missing or manifest not visible immediately. Fix: Allow iCloud Drive time to sync; run manual backup and wait for completion.
  • Restore cannot find backup: Symptom: "Not Validated" or missing manifest error. Fix: Ensure iCloud Drive is enabled, select correct folder, wait for download.
  • Restore appears instant with error: Symptom: Immediate error on folder selection. Fix: Retry after iCloud finishes downloading.
  • Duplicate filename errors during backup: Symptom: Backup fails due to same name. Fix: Run Fresh Backup or rename duplicates.
  • Share extension not appearing: Symptom: meScan missing in share sheet. Fix: Enable meScan in Edit Actions, force quit source app, or reinstall.
  • GPS not captured: Symptom: Documents show no GPS or address. Fix: Enable GPS Tagging and allow Location permissions in iOS Settings.
  • Auto-naming not working: Symptom: Document title blank or generic. Fix: Enable Scan Name and ensure OCR text exists on first page.
  • "None" category tab missing: Symptom: No "None" tab visible. Fix: Enable Show Empty Categories if needed.
  • Face ID / Touch ID not available: Symptom: No biometric toggle. Fix: Device must support biometrics and have Face ID/Touch ID configured.

Data collection for support tickets

  • App version and build number
  • iOS version and device model
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Screenshots of errors
  • Backup/restore status and folder path used
  • Whether iCloud Drive or Google Drive is used

Operational best practices

  • Encourage users to run a manual backup before device upgrades.
  • Recommend Fresh Backup when device data must exactly match the backup.
  • Test restore with a small backup before major migrations.
Feature Catalog A complete checklist of user-facing features and settings for marketing, support, and product pages.

Feature Catalog

This catalog lists all user-facing features and settings, grouped by area. Use this as a complete checklist for marketing, product pages, and support knowledge bases.

Core navigation

  • Tab-based layout: Scan, Folders, My Docs, Settings.
  • Configurable Startup View and After Scan View.

Document capture and import

  • Camera scanning with automatic edge detection and perspective correction.
  • Multi-page capture in a single session.
  • Photo Library import (up to 20 images at a time).
  • Share extension import from other apps.
  • Supported inputs: PDF, image, text, RTF, and .mescan packages.
  • Add pages to existing documents from camera or photo library.
  • Page management before save: reorder, delete, crop/edit.
  • PDF page size selection (Letter, A4, Receipt, Business/ID, Legal, Tabloid, Index, Photo, A3, A5, A6).

OCR and text processing

  • Automatic OCR using Apple Vision framework.
  • OCR runs in background for responsiveness.
  • Full-text search across OCR content.
  • OCR text stored securely alongside documents.
  • Optional display of extracted text in document view.

Smart Scan Auto-Naming

  • Auto-generated document titles from OCR.
  • Configurable word count (2-5).
  • Spell check for OCR cleanup.
  • Date/time format options (10 presets).
  • Date position: prefix, suffix, or smart.
  • Separator options: dash, underscore, space, custom.

Organization and search

  • Folders required for every document, with a default General folder.
  • Unlimited custom folders with optional password protection.
  • Categories with 16 prebuilt options plus unlimited custom categories.
  • SF Symbol icons for custom categories.
  • Tags with multi-tag per document support.
  • Search scopes: All, Titles, OCR Text, Tags.
  • Category tabs for filtering, plus "None" tab for uncategorized documents.
  • Show/hide categories and empty categories.
  • Show category document counts.

Document viewing and editing

  • Native PDF viewer with zoom and thumbnails.
  • Rename documents.
  • Edit category, folder, tags, notes.
  • Edit or remove GPS location.
  • Add pages to existing documents.
  • Reorder and delete pages.
  • Document history log (creation/modification events).

Signatures

  • Draw and save reusable signatures.
  • Place signatures on any page.
  • Resize and reposition signatures.
  • Multiple signatures per document.
  • Metadata capture for legal verification: timestamp, GPS coordinates and address (if enabled), device name (optional), signature and document hashes.
  • Signature display options: show/hide date/time, address, GPS, device name.
  • Signature ink color (black or blue).

GPS location features

  • Document-level GPS tagging (optional).
  • Signature-level GPS tagging (optional).
  • Manual location editing.
  • GPS display formatting options.
  • Full GPS disable toggle.

Sharing and export

  • Share via email (including email to self).
  • Share via text/iMessage (including text to self).
  • Share to saved family contacts.
  • WhatsApp and Messenger sharing.
  • iOS Share Sheet integration.
  • AirPrint support.
  • Save pages as images to Photos.
  • Copy to clipboard.
  • Export formats: PDF (all pages or selected pages), JPG (per page), optional metadata text file.
  • "Email PDF Only" setting for email sharing.

Family and friends sharing

  • Create and manage family contact profiles.
  • Fields: name, email, phone, country code, relationship.
  • Quick share to saved contacts.
  • Sharing history view.

Backup and restore

  • iCloud Drive backups with user-selected root folder.
  • Google Drive backups (authenticated).
  • Manual backup on demand.
  • Scheduled backups (auto-if-updated, weekly, monthly).
  • Backup progress reporting with ETA.
  • Backup statistics (last backup date, size, document count).
  • Fresh Backup option to delete prior backup before creating new one.
  • Restore validation with manifest integrity checks.
  • Restore modes: Replace All or Merge.
  • Restore progress and conflict handling.

Import and export tools

  • CSV import/export for Friends/Family, Categories, Folders.
  • TurboScan import with folder preservation and duplicate handling options.
  • Share extension import from any share-enabled app.

Security and privacy

  • Local-first storage (no automatic cloud sync).
  • Master Password for protected content.
  • Optional Face ID / Touch ID unlock.
  • Per-folder and per-category protection.
  • Security questions for recovery (answers stored in Keychain).
  • SHA256 password hashing and Keychain storage.
  • No analytics or advertising SDKs.

Settings and customization

Display

  • Color mode (Light/Dark/System)
  • Startup View / After Scan View
  • Show Search
  • Show Categories / Show Empty Categories
  • Show Category Count
  • Show Splash Screen

Program

  • GPS Tagging Enabled
  • GPS Display Format

Document

  • PDF Page Size
  • Scan Name (auto-naming)
  • Signature settings
  • Show Extracted Text
  • Show Doc Scanned Location
  • Show Log History
  • Show Doc Organization
  • Show Signatures
  • Email PDF Only

Platform and technical specs

  • iOS 17+ (iPhone and iPad)
  • SwiftUI UI, SwiftData local database
  • Core frameworks: VisionKit, Vision, PDFKit, CoreLocation, CryptoKit
User Guide End-to-end guidance for scanning, organizing, signing, sharing, backup, and key settings.

User Guide

Last updated: January 2026. Audience: end users, operations/support, and marketing.

About this guide

This guide explains how to use meScan end-to-end, including scanning, organizing, signing, sharing, backup/restore, and key settings. It assumes iOS 17 or later on iPhone or iPad.

Quick start

  1. Install and open meScan.
  2. Allow permissions when prompted: Camera, Photos, Location (optional), Face ID / Touch ID (optional).
  3. Optional setup (recommended): Settings > User Profile, Settings > Security > Master Password, Settings > Backup.

App navigation

meScan uses four main tabs: Scan, Folders, My Docs, Settings.

You can change the default startup tab and the tab shown after a scan: Settings > Display Options > Startup View / After Scan View.

Scanning and importing documents

Camera scanning

  1. Go to the Scan tab.
  2. Tap Camera Scan.
  3. Align the document in the frame; edge detection runs automatically.
  4. Capture pages as needed.
  5. Review pages in the preview screen.
  6. Tap Continue to add details and save.

Photo Library import

  1. Go to the Scan tab.
  2. Tap Photo Library.
  3. Select up to 20 images.
  4. Images load into the preview flow like camera scans.
  5. Tap Continue to add details and save.

Share sheet import

  1. In another app, tap Share.
  2. Select meScan in the share sheet.
  3. meScan opens and shows the preview screen.
  4. Tap Continue, fill in details, and Save.

Supported inputs: PDF files, images (JPG/PNG), text or RTF, and .mescan packages.

Preview, edit, and page management

  • Reorder pages with drag-and-drop.
  • Add more pages from the camera or photo library.
  • Crop or edit pages to refine edges.
  • Delete pages you do not need.

When done, tap Continue to enter document details.

Saving documents (Details screen)

  • Document Title: auto-filled with Smart Scan Auto-Naming or import filename.
  • Category: optional; choose from default or custom categories.
  • Folder: required; defaults to General if nothing is selected.
  • Notes: optional notes for context.

Tap Save to store the document.

Smart Scan Auto-Naming

  • Extracts 2-5 key words.
  • Optional spell check.
  • 10 date/time formats.
  • Date position: prefix, suffix, or smart.
  • Custom separators.

Configure it in Settings > Document Options > Scan Name.

Finding and managing documents

My Docs search

  • Search scopes: All, Titles, OCR Text, Tags.
  • Results update as you type with progressive search.
  • Category tabs filter results.
  • The None tab shows uncategorized documents.

Category tabs and None

Category tabs appear across the top of My Docs: All, None, and individual category tabs.

You can hide empty categories in Settings > Display Options.

Bulk actions

  1. Tap the ellipsis menu.
  2. Select Select Documents.
  3. Choose documents.
  4. Use bulk actions to change category, change folder, or delete.

Organizing with folders, categories, and tags

Folders

  • Default folder: General.
  • Create custom folders for projects, clients, or topics.
  • Optional folder descriptions and password protection.

Categories

Built-in categories include ID, Receipts, Bills, Contracts, Vehicles, Insurance, Medical, Taxes, Banking, Credit Cards, Investments, Family & Legal, Business, Manuals, School, Membership.

You can create unlimited custom categories with SF Symbol icons and optional protection.

Tags

  • Add multiple tags per document.
  • Search by tags in My Docs.

Viewing and editing documents

  • PDF viewer with zoom and page thumbnails.
  • View OCR text (optional).
  • Rename document title.
  • Change category or folder.
  • Edit tags, notes, or GPS location.
  • Manage pages: add, reorder, delete pages.

Signatures

Capture and save signatures

  1. Open a document.
  2. Tap Signatures.
  3. Draw your signature and save it for reuse.

Place signatures on a PDF

  1. Choose a saved signature.
  2. Drag and resize it on any page.
  3. Save to embed the signature and metadata.

Signature metadata

  • Timestamp
  • GPS location and/or address (if enabled)
  • Device name (optional)
  • Signature and document hashes

Control metadata display in Settings > Document Options > Signature.

GPS location tagging

  • Enable/disable in Settings > Program Options > GPS Tagging Enabled.
  • View or edit locations on documents.
  • GPS data can be removed if desired.

Sharing and exporting

Share from a document

  • Email (including Email to Self)
  • Text message / iMessage (including Text to Self)
  • WhatsApp and Messenger
  • iOS Share Sheet (any compatible app)
  • AirPrint
  • Save pages to Photos
  • Copy to clipboard

Choose format and content

  • PDF (entire document or selected pages)
  • JPG (individual pages)
  • Metadata file (optional text file with audit details)

Share to family and friends

  1. Settings > Friends/Family Sharing: add contact info.
  2. Open a document > Share > choose a family member.

Email PDF only

Settings > Document Options > Email PDF Only.

Backup and restore

iCloud Drive backup

  1. Settings > Backup.
  2. Select backup location (iCloud Drive).
  3. Choose a schedule (Auto if updates, Weekly, Monthly, or Never).
  4. Tap Backup Now to run on demand.

Backups are stored as [Selected Folder]/meScanner/Backups/CurrentBackup.

Fresh Backup

  • Deletes the existing backup folder before creating a new one.
  • Use when you want your backup to exactly match your device.
  • It permanently removes deleted documents from the backup.

Google Drive backup (optional)

  1. Settings > Backup > Google Drive Backup.
  2. Sign in to Google Drive.
  3. Choose schedule or run Backup Now.

Restore

  1. Settings > Restore.
  2. Select a backup folder (root, Backups, or CurrentBackup).
  3. Validate the backup.
  4. Choose Replace All or Merge.
  5. Tap Restore from Backup.

Notes: Security questions restore, but password answers must be re-entered. Master password must be reconfigured after restore.

Import and export

CSV export/import

Settings > Import/Export supports CSV for Friends/Family, Categories, and Folders. Export to CSV for editing in Excel, then import back.

TurboScan import

  1. Settings > Import/Export > Import from TurboScan.
  2. Select TurboScan folder in iCloud Drive.
  3. Choose files/folders to import.
  4. Decide how to handle duplicates.
  5. Run import and monitor progress.

Key settings reference

Display Options

  • Color Mode (Light/Dark/System)
  • Startup View
  • After Scan View
  • Show Search
  • Show Categories
  • Show Category Count
  • Show Empty Categories
  • Show Splash Screen

Program Options

  • GPS Tagging Enabled
  • GPS Display Format

Document Options

  • PDF Page Size
  • Scan Name (auto-naming)
  • Signature settings (metadata display, ink color)
  • Show Extracted Text
  • Show Doc Scanned Location
  • Show Log History
  • Show Doc Organization
  • Show Signatures
  • Email PDF Only

Security

  • Master Password (set, unlock/lock, change, remove)
  • Optional biometrics (Face ID / Touch ID)

Privacy and data handling

  • All documents are stored locally on your device.
  • No automatic cloud sync.
  • Backups are user-controlled (iCloud Drive or Google Drive).
  • Sensitive values are stored securely in Keychain.

Support

Support email is listed in Settings > About.