TwinpageTranslate a scanned document and keep the page
Twinpage recognizes the text on a scanned page on your phone, covers the original text and draws the translation in the same place, while the picture of the page stays. Scans and camera input are part of Pro.
Free: 1 document a day up to 3 pages. iOS 26 or later, phone only.
Short answer
Open a scanned PDF or photograph a paper page in the app, choose the target language, and you get back a PDF where the page looks the same and the text is in the new language. Stamps, signatures and the paper itself stay as they were, because the page is kept as an image. Text recognition and translation both run on the phone. Translating scans and using the camera need Pro; the free tier covers text files.
How a scan becomes a translated page
A scan is a picture of a page with no text inside it. Twinpage first runs text recognition on the phone to find lines and their positions. Lines are grouped into paragraphs, taking table lines into account, so a table cell stays one block. Then the app works as with any PDF in As original mode: it covers each block with the background color around it and draws the translation in the same frame, choosing a type size that fits.
The text layer of the result holds only the translation. So the translated scan is also searchable in the new language, which the original scan was not.
| Text PDF | Scan or photo | |
|---|---|---|
| How text is found | Read from the text layer | Recognized on the phone |
| Mode | As original by default, editable copy on request | As original |
| Free or Pro | Free within 1 document a day up to 3 pages | Pro |
| Result text layer | Translation only | Translation only |
source: Twinpage development journal, stage 3 (October 26, 2026) and in-app purchase screen
Scanning with the camera in the app
In Pro you can photograph a paper page right in the app with the document scanner of iOS. iOS asks for camera permission the first time. The photo is processed on the phone like any file and is not uploaded. The camera here is a way to bring in a page for translation; it does not translate signs, menus or speech live.
What recognizes well and what to check
Recognition depends on the picture. These are general rules for any text recognition, not numbers we measured.
| Factor | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Flat page | Curved lines near a book spine are harder to read | Press the page flat or scan one page at a time |
| Even light | Shadows and glare hide letters | Shoot in diffuse light, avoid the flash on glossy paper |
| Whole page in frame | Cut edges lose words and break table lines | Leave a small margin around the page |
| Resolution | Small type in a low resolution scan blurs | Scan at a higher setting or move the camera closer |
| Stamps and handwriting | Often misread or skipped | Check them against the original yourself |
source: general guidance for text recognition, not measured in Twinpage
We have not yet run an English scan through the app on a phone and compared it by eye, so there is no before and after picture on this page. Treat stamps, handwriting and faint copies as places to check, not as something the app handles for sure.
Long scans
In our test set, a scanned government order of 71 pages was processed without failures, along with a scanned price table. That was a Mac test of the page processing with a stand-in translator, checked by eye page by page. It shows the app can handle a long scan; it does not tell how long a real translation of 71 pages takes on a phone, which we have not measured. Long scans are Pro in any case, since the free tier stops at 3 pages.
Step by step
Bring in the scan
Choose a scanned PDF from Files, or tap Scan and photograph the page with the camera (Pro).
Choose the language
Pick the target language. iOS downloads it once if it is not on the phone yet.
Let it recognize and translate
The app finds the text on each page, translates it and draws it in place. Keep the app open while it works.
Check the result
Compare the translated page with the original in side by side view (Pro), especially names, dates, numbers and stamps.
Free: 1 document a day up to 3 pages. iOS 26 or later, phone only.
Questions
Can I translate a scanned PDF for free?
No. Scans and camera input are part of Pro. The free tier translates text PDF and .docx files, 1 document a day up to 3 pages.
Is the scan uploaded for recognition?
No. Text recognition and translation both run on the phone.
Will stamps and signatures stay?
The page is kept as an image, so stamps and signatures stay visible. Text inside a stamp may be recognized and covered, so check it against the original.
Can I search the translated scan?
Yes. The text layer of the result holds the translation.
Does it read handwriting?
We have not tested handwriting. Treat handwritten parts as something to check yourself.
Related guides
- Translate a PDFHow a whole PDF is translated on the phone, what changes and what to check
- LanguagesAll 20 languages, their scripts and which pairs we have tested
- Machine or certifiedWhen an app translation is enough and when an office needs a translator
- HomeWhat the app does with a document and what you get back
Same document in a new language
Choose a PDF or .docx file, pick one of 20 languages and get the page back with its tables and columns. Translation runs on your phone.
Free: 1 document a day up to 3 pages. iOS 26 or later, phone only.