Scan without hunting for the app: every iPhone entry point, set up in 5 minutes

ZipScan registers itself with iOS everywhere the system allows, so a scan is never more than one press away. Apple hides most of these switches deep in Settings — here is each one, step by step. Total setup time: about five minutes, once.

1. Lock Screen widget — scan without unlocking

  1. Press and hold the Lock Screen until Customize appears, then tap it
  2. Choose Lock Screen
  3. Tap the widget row below the clock
  4. Find ZipScan in the list and tap its Scan widget
  5. Tap outside, then Done

From now on: wake the phone, tap the widget, scan.

2. Control Center button — and the Lock Screen flashlight swap

  1. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center
  2. Press and hold an empty area (or tap + top-left) to enter edit mode
  3. Tap Add a Control, search ZipScan, tap Scan Document

Bonus — replace the Lock Screen flashlight: press and hold the Lock Screen → Customize → Lock Screen → tap the on the bottom-left flashlight button → tap + → search ZipScan → done. One press on your Lock Screen now opens the scanner.

3. Action Button (iPhone 15 Pro and later)

  1. Open Settings → Action Button
  2. Swipe to the Controls (or Shortcut) option
  3. Choose ZipScan → Scan Document

Phone in hand, one physical press, camera on paper. This is the fastest scanner setup that exists on any phone.

4. Siri

Nothing to set up. Say:

Requires Siri language set to English for these phrases (more languages coming with localization).

5. Back Tap — double-tap the back of your phone (works on older iPhones too)

Back Tap can only trigger items from your Shortcuts library, so this one is two short steps:

  1. Create the shortcut once: open the Shortcuts app → + → Add Action → search ZipScan → choose Scan Document → tap Done (name it "Scan")
  2. Bind it: Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap → Double Tap → scroll to the Shortcuts section → select Scan

Now two taps on the back of the phone — even through most cases — opens the scanner. Works on iPhone 8 and later.

Which one should I use?

You are…Best entry point
On iPhone 15 Pro / 16 / 17Action Button — one physical press
On any other iPhoneBack Tap, or the Lock Screen flashlight swap
Phone lying on the deskLock Screen widget — no unlock needed
Hands fullSiri
ZipScan icon

ZipScan — the 3-second scanner
Paper in, searchable PDF out. No subscription required.

Download on the App Store