How to Save Receipts as PDFs with Your Phone

Published: Oct 19, 2026 | Updated: Oct 19, 2026 | About (Japanese)

Key points

Shoot so the date, amount and store name are readable
Group by month and put the date in the file name
Check tax-related storage rules with a professional

Keeping paper receipts is a hassle. If you photograph them and save them as PDFs, they're easier to find and take no space. Here is how, and what to watch for.

Tips for shooting

Lay the receipt flat and shoot from directly above.
Include the whole receipt so the date, amount and store name are clearly readable.
Thermal paper receipts can fade over time. It is safer to photograph them early.
For a long receipt, shoot from far enough to fit it all, or split it into readable parts.

Combine them into a PDF

Open the tool on this site and choose your photos.
Choose them in the groups you want, such as by month or purpose.
Arrange the order and, if needed, fix the orientation with "Rotate".
Choose either "A4" or "Same as photo" as the page size.
Tap "Make PDF" and save.

Naming the files

Include the date or the content so they're easy to find later.

Example: "2026-10_Transport.pdf"
Example: "2026-10-19_Stationery_Receipt.pdf"

Notes on storing them

Don't keep them only on your phone; a backup in the cloud or elsewhere is safer.
If there is a set recipient, such as a tax return or expense report at work, check their rules first.

When tax-related documents are stored as electronic data, there may be legal storage requirements. A PDF made on this site does not necessarily meet them. If needed, check the guidance of your tax authority or a tax professional.

Use the photos-to-PDF tool (free)

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Tools that go well with this

Photos to PDF: Combine several photos into one PDF in the order you choose. You can rotate, reorder and set a size limit.
Compress PDF: Shrink a PDF to fit under a size you choose, for upload limits.
Merge PDFs: Combine several PDF files into one, in the order you choose.