Free browser tool · files stay on your device
Scan receipts to PDF
Scan receipts to PDF from your phone: photograph each paper receipt, and LensUp straightens it, whitens the paper and gives it its own page, then saves the receipts as one PDF in the order you choose, whether that is a month of expenses, one business trip or the receipts behind a tax return.
No sign-up, no watermark. Size targets are best-effort; the final file size is always shown.
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Add
On a computer, drag images or PDFs here, or paste a screenshot (Ctrl / ⌘ + V).
Adjust
EffectWhitens the paper background; dark print stays dark.
Removes the color and adds a little contrast.
Keeps the original colors, with no tone change.
Pushes ink to black and paper to white; some gray can remain.
Evens out shadows and uneven light; keeps colored ink and stamps.
Fades blue, red and green ink; cannot reliably remove black handwriting.
Warm gray paper, fine grain and a slight tilt; colored ink turns gray.
Export
Export optionsA4 · Single · No limit
ID card: places the first two pages as front & back at ID-1 size on one A4 sheet. In the ID card tool, corners are proposed automatically when card edges are clear. Use Edit to check all four corners and adjust them by hand if needed.
PNG is lossless, so target sizes do not apply.
Uses original photos. Larger files and slower export. Available with No limit or PNG.
Optional. Keeps the image ratio and never exceeds the page.
How do I scan receipts to PDF?
Photograph each receipt flat and from straight above, add the photos with Take photo or choose image/PDF, and check that each receipt's corners were found (use Edit if not). Set Paper size to Original so every page keeps the receipt's own shape, drag the pages into order and choose Export PDF.
The photos are processed on your device and are not uploaded to LensUp. It is a scanner, not expense software: it does not read amounts or dates, sort receipts into categories or send them to an accounting app.
How it works
- Photograph one receipt per photoFlatten the receipt on a dark, plain surface and shoot from straight above in daylight, without the flash. Fill the frame with the receipt. Tap Take photo or choose image/PDF and pick all the photos at once.
- Straighten and clean upLensUp proposes each receipt's corners; if one is off, choose Edit, then Perspective, and place each corner on the paper edge. White document whitens grey thermal paper. If the print is faint, compare Grayscale and Black & white and keep whichever reads best.
- Order the pages and exportDrag the page cards into date order. In Export options, choose Original under Paper size to keep each receipt's shape, or A4 or Letter to print, then select Export PDF. Each receipt is one page of the PDF.
Receipts and tax records
The IRS lists receipts among the supporting documents for business records, along with sales slips, paid bills and invoices, and says an electronic recordkeeping system should meet the same basic recordkeeping principles as paper. The IRS page What kind of records should I keep explains what that means for your business.
In the UK, HMRC asks the self-employed to keep proof such as all receipts for goods and stock, and to keep records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline of the relevant tax year. Whether a scan can replace the paper receipt in your case is a question for HMRC or your accountant, not for LensUp.
Faded, crumpled and long receipts
Receipts printed on thermal paper fade, so scan them soon after you get them. Smooth out folds before the photo; a crease that catches the light reads as a dark line. For faint print, Grayscale keeps soft grey text visible, while Black & white pushes ink to black and paper to white.
A long supermarket receipt can be photographed in one shot from a little higher up, or in two overlapping photos that become two pages, top first. On A4 or Letter a tall receipt is fitted inside the page with its proportions intact, so you will see white margins at the sides; Original paper size avoids them.
One PDF per month or per trip
A simple routine works for most people: scan receipts weekly, export one PDF per month or per trip, and name the file by period, such as January receipts. Use Add another page to add receipts to the set before you export, and drag the cards to keep them in date order.
If an expense portal or an email limits the attachment size, pick 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB under Compress to before exporting. The final size is shown when the PDF is ready; very small targets can make small print hard to read, so check one page before you send it.
What LensUp does not do
LensUp does not read text from receipts. The PDF holds images, so totals, dates and merchant names are not searchable or selectable, and nothing is typed into a spreadsheet for you. It gives no tax or accounting advice; to combine PDFs you already have and keep their text, use Merge PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Are my receipts uploaded to a server?
No. The photos are processed in your browser, on your phone or computer, and are not uploaded to LensUp. The PDF is saved to your device, and you decide where it goes next.
Can I put many receipts in one PDF?
Yes. Add every receipt as its own photo, use Add another page for more, drag the cards into order and choose Export PDF. Each receipt becomes one page of the same PDF.
Does a scanned receipt replace the paper one for taxes?
LensUp cannot answer that for you. The IRS describes what records to keep and how long, and HMRC does the same for Self Assessment; check their pages or ask your accountant before you throw paper receipts away.