Virtual Back To School Hack, Your Phone Is Already A Scanner

Going back to school virtually is going to be a challenge for everyone, but this phone scanner tip might help make things easier.

The main problem that most parents face with virtual school is the lack of physical resources. Sure the schools try to provide laptops, and the learning materials, but there are a lot of gaps. Much of the homework that has to be printed out, will also need to be scanned and sent back in, but most of us don't have a scanner at home . . . or do we?

When school shut down in March, I downloaded a scanner app on my phone to help send homework back. It worked ok, but eventually (like all apps) it started to ask for money and eat up a ton of space on my phone.

After doing a little research, I found out that every phone already has a scanner built in. The process is a little different from iPhone to Android, but working through it is not hard. For iPhone users, all you have to do is open up the 'Notes' app that is on all phones.

Once you open the app, choose the Notes folder under "ON MY IPHONE".

Once you've opened up a new note, you will have a series of icons on on the bottom of the screen, above the keyboard. Before typing anything into the notes, click on the camera icon.

After clicking on the camera it will ask you what you would like to insert. Select the scan documents option, and then you can just snap a pic of the homework that needs to be sent in.

The Android process is extremely similar, and is just as easy.

This school year is going to be a challenge for students, teachers, and parents. Anything we can do to help make it easier on ourselves is always a good thing. Do you have any small hacks that you are using this year?