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Is Basic Scan Safe?

Basic Scan privacy label · by INWARD INSIGHT LLC · checked November 2026

  • Nothing linked to you
  • Not updated in 2+ years
App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
0types

None declared

Linked to you
0types

None declared

Not linked to you
2types
Short answer

On the label it is low-risk: Basic Scan collects some data but says none of it is linked to you or used for tracking. None of it falls in Apple's most sensitive categories (health, financial, location, contacts or your own content). In total the label lists 2 data types; 64% of document scanners we checked declare tracking.

At a glance

Basic Scan privacy in one look

Data exposure on the label
Not linked to you
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Built only from the developer's App Store label. It describes disclosure, not tested behaviour.

Verdict from the label
Not linked to you

Basic Scan collects some data but says none of it is linked to your identity, and none is used for tracking.

Try it

Did Basic Scan ask for something?

Pick the permission prompt you saw. We compare it with what Basic Scan's developer declared.

It asked me for access to…
Tap a prompt to compare it with the label.
Not on the label

Location is not on Basic Scan's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not on the label

User Content is not on Basic Scan's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not on the label

Contacts is not on Basic Scan's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not declared on the label

Basic Scan declares no tracking, so a tracking prompt would contradict its label. Decline it, and consider reporting the mismatch to Apple.

Not on the label

Health & Fitness is not on Basic Scan's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

A permission is what the app can reach on your iPhone; the label is what the developer says leaves it. They answer different questions.

Line by line

What Basic Scan collects, explained

Data typeWhat it coversWhere to limit it
Usage DataNot linked to you What you tap, open and view inside the app, plus which ads you have seen. There is no single iOS switch. Look for an analytics or personalised-ads toggle in the app's own settings.
DiagnosticsNot linked to you Crash logs, launch times, hang rates and energy use. Settings › Privacy & Security › Analytics & Improvements › Share With App Developers controls what Apple passes on; the app's own crash reporting is separate.
Reading the label

What Basic Scan's label means for you

Basic Scan's label has 2 types under “Data Not Linked to You”. A data type can appear in more than one section when it is used for different purposes — for example, identifiers used for both analytics and advertising.

Every type on Basic Scan's label is in the “not linked” section, so the developer says the data is stripped of anything that identifies you before it is used. That is typical of anonymous analytics and crash reporting. Not linked is still collected: the data leaves your phone.

None of the data types fall into the categories most people consider sensitive: health, financial information, precise location, contacts, browsing history or the content you create.

Scanners handle IDs, contracts, receipts and medical letters. Many offer cloud OCR, which means your document images leave the phone. Prefer on-device text recognition where offered, and check whether scans sync to the developer's cloud by default.

Among the 173 document scanners in our snapshot with a label, 64% declare tracking, 68% collect data linked to you and 20% say they collect nothing. Basic Scan lists 2 data types, about the same as the average of 2.8 for this group.

Business apps often handle other people's data — clients, colleagues and customers — so what they collect can affect more than you.

On your iPhone

Settings to check for Basic Scan

  1. 1

    Photos

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Photos. Limited Access lets you pick exactly which pictures the app can see; Add Photos Only lets it save without reading your library.

  2. 2

    Lock the app

    On iOS 18 and later, touch and hold the icon and choose Require Face ID. Anyone who picks up your unlocked phone then needs your face, fingerprint or passcode to open it.

  3. 3

    Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Basic Scan › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Cross-app tracking

Does Basic Scan track you?

No tracking declared

There is no “Data Used to Track You” section on Basic Scan's label.

Does Basic Scan track you? Full answer and how to stop it →

iOS 18 and later

Lock Basic Scan behind Face ID

  1. Find Basic Scan on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Basic Scan now asks for authentication every time it opens.

The lock is an iPhone feature, so it works whether or not Basic Scan has a passcode of its own. It does not change what the app sends to its developer.

From the App Store record

About Basic Scan

DeveloperINWARD INSIGHT LLC
App Store categoryBusiness (also Productivity)
Latest version2.16.0, released September 2021
First releasedNovember 2018
RequiresiOS 13.0 or later
Size17 MB
Age rating4+
Languages11 (AR, EN, FR, DE, IT, JA, KO, PT…)
Bundle IDcom.inwardinsight.BasicScan

The current version shipped in September 2021, 5 years before our snapshot. Apps that are not updated may not support newer iOS privacy controls, and an abandoned app will not get security fixes.

Read with care

What the label cannot tell you

  • A label is self-reported. Apple publishes the developer's answers and can reject apps that misrepresent them, but it does not independently verify what Basic Scan sends.
  • It does not say where data is stored, how long it is kept, whether it is encrypted, or which companies receive it. The privacy policy covers those points.
  • Optional data counts: if a feature lets you add something (a profile photo, a phone number), the type is listed even if you never use the feature.
  • Data handled only on your iPhone is not 'collected', so a no-collection label is compatible with an app that reads your files locally.
  • Third-party sign-in, payment processors and SDKs are supposed to be included, but a label can lag behind a new version.

The question to ask Basic Scan's developer: Are my scans processed on the phone or uploaded for OCR?

How it compares

Basic Scan vs similar document scanners

Data types listed on each App Store privacy label
Tracks youLinked to youNot linkedCollects nothing

Fewer types is not automatically safer: a cloud backup app has to collect your files to work. Compare like with like.

Checking another app?

Look up any of our apps in seconds, or put two labels side by side.

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All document scanners → Who tracks you? A–Z → Apps that collect usage data → Privacy label decoder →

Do it now

Your Basic Scan privacy checklist

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

Quick quiz

True or false?

  1. Q1Basic Scan's privacy label says it uses data to track you.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    False: there is no Data Used to Track You section on Basic Scan's label.

  2. Q2Apple tests every app to confirm its privacy label is accurate.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.

  3. Q3Basic Scan collects Usage Data.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    True: Usage Data appears on its label, in the Not Linked to You section.

  4. Q4Data “Not Linked to You” is never sent off your iPhone.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.

  5. Q5Tapping “Ask App Not to Track” can stop an app from working.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Apple's rules require apps to work the same whether or not you allow tracking.

Questions people ask

Basic Scan privacy FAQ

Is Basic Scan safe to use?
Based on its App Store privacy label, basic Scan collects some data but says none of it is linked to your identity, and none is used for tracking. Whether that is acceptable depends on what you will store in it. The label is developer-reported, not an independent security test.
Does Basic Scan track you?
No. Basic Scan's label has no Data Used to Track You section.
What data does Basic Scan collect?
Usage data and diagnostics. None of it is linked to your identity.
Who makes Basic Scan?
INWARD INSIGHT LLC, according to the App Store. It was first released in November 2018 and the current version is 2.16.0.
Can I lock Basic Scan with Face ID?
On iOS 18 or later, touch and hold Basic Scan's icon and choose Require Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode). This is an iPhone feature and works for most downloaded apps, whether or not the app has its own lock. If you don't see the option, update iOS.
How does Basic Scan compare with other document scanners?
Across 173 document scanners with labels in our snapshot, 64% declare tracking and 20% say they collect no data. Basic Scan lists 2 data types against an average of 2.8.
Are my scans processed on the phone or uploaded for OCR?
The privacy label cannot answer that. Look for it in Basic Scan's privacy policy or support pages, linked from the App Store listing. Prefer on-device text recognition where offered, and check whether scans sync to the developer's cloud by default.
How do I delete my data from Basic Scan?
Apps that let you create an account must also let you start account deletion from inside the app (an App Store rule since June 2022). Deleting the app from your iPhone alone does not delete data already sent to the developer.
Facts on this page come from Basic Scan on the App Store, as reported by the developer. Checked 2026-11-01. How we collect data · Report a correction