PlainCopyGuide
Scan from iPhone Straight into Paperless-ngx
Short answer
PlainCopy Pro sends a scan from iPhone to Paperless-ngx with one tap: add your server as a Send To destination, then pick it in Share, or tag the document and it uploads on its own. WebDAV servers such as Nextcloud and Synology work the same way, with a path template like /Scans/{year}.
Updated
How Do I Connect PlainCopy to Paperless-ngx?
Settings › Send To › Add Destination, then pick Paperless. Enter the server address and an API token from your Paperless user profile. The token is stored in the iPhone Keychain, on this device only. Pick the format and size the destination should use; they can differ from your default.
Does Paperless Get a Searchable PDF?
If OCR is on for the destination, the PDF arrives with its text layer, made on your phone, and Paperless can skip its own OCR or run it anyway, as you configure it. Send the file without OCR if you prefer Paperless to do all the recognition.
| Destination | What you enter | Where the scan lands |
|---|---|---|
| Files folder | Pick a folder: iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, On My iPhone | Copied into that folder |
| Paperless-ngx | Server address, API token | The Paperless consumption queue |
| WebDAV | Server address, path template, user name, password | The path, for example /Scans/2026 |
| An address | Mail opens with the PDF attached |
How Does Sending by Tag Work?
Give a destination a tag rule, for example "paperless". When a document gains that tag, by hand or from a filing suggestion, PlainCopy sends it once. Removing and adding the tag again does not send it again.
What If the Upload Fails?
Uploads wait in an outbox and retry after a dropped connection or a restart. Library ••• › Pending Uploads shows what is waiting: tap Retry All, or swipe an upload to cancel it. A wrong address or a failed sign-in stops retrying and points you to the destination to fix it.
Does It Work with Nextcloud, Synology or Any WebDAV Server?
Yes. Add a WebDAV destination with the server address (for Nextcloud, https://cloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/you), a path template such as /Scans/{year}, and your user name and password in their own fields. An existing file is never overwritten: if the name is taken, the new one is saved as "Name 2.pdf".
Is My Server Password Safe?
It stays in the iPhone Keychain and is used only for the server it was saved for. If you change the address, PlainCopy asks for the password again, so it is never sent to a new server. On your own Wi-Fi, iOS asks once for Local Network access.
Send To Questions
Is Send To free?
No. Send To is a Pro feature. Sharing to any app through the share sheet is free.
Does the file name go with it?
Yes. The scan is uploaded with the name you see in PlainCopy, from smart naming or your template.
Does the app talk to any other server?
No. Only the destinations you add, plus Apple for purchases and RevenueCat for the purchase record.
Scan, Tag, Done
Send To is part of Pro. Try it free for 7 days.