Set up the page
- Lay the letter flat on a table. Smooth out folds with your hand, or hold the corners down with a few coins.
- Use a dark table or a dark placemat under white paper. The edges stand out better.
- Sit near a window during the day. Daylight is better than a ceiling lamp, which can throw your shadow across the page.
- Turn off the flash. It makes a bright glare that can hide words.
Take the photo
- Hold the phone flat above the page, the way a ceiling looks down on a floor, not at a slant.
- Move closer until all four corners of the page fill the screen, with a little table showing around the edges.
- Tap the middle of the page on your screen to focus.
- Hold still, and tap the shutter button.
- Open the photo and zoom in with two fingers. If you can read the small print, it is good. If it is blurry, take it again.
Use the scanner built into your phone
On an iPhone, open the Notes app, start a new note, tap the paperclip or camera button, and tap Scan Documents. The phone finds the edges of the page and straightens it for you.
On most Android phones, open the Google Drive app, tap the plus button, and tap Scan. Many Samsung phones also show a Scan button in the Camera app when they see a page.
Letters with more than one page
Take one photo per page, in order. Page numbers matter: the important part of a notice is often on the back or the second page, such as a deadline or a phone number to call.
Protect your private numbers
Before you send a photo to anyone, cover your full Social Security number, Medicare number, or bank account number with a sticky note or your finger. The person helping you can still explain the letter. If you send it to Uncle, ask what it means and what you need to do next.
Stuck on a step?
Text Uncle at +1 208 214 0093 and tell him what you see on your screen. He walks you through it in plain words, one step at a time.
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Written by the Textuncle team. Last updated October 3, 2026.
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