Insurance letters, benefit notices, and hospital statements often run three or four pages, and the important line is usually on the last one. You can photograph every page, send them together, and ask AI to explain the whole letter at once.
When this helps
Use this for any letter with more than one page: an insurance or Medicare notice, a bank or pension letter, a hospital bill, or a utility notice. It also works for instructions or forms you want explained.
Step by step
- Cover your Social Security number, Medicare number, and account numbers with a sticky note or your finger.
- Open the ChatGPT app on your iPhone. Tap the camera, tap the three-dot menu, and choose Scan. OpenAI announced this on October 1, 2026, and it is rolling out, so update the app if you do not see it yet.
- Photograph each page in order, in good light. ChatGPT combines the pages into one document for you.
- No Scan button, or using an Android phone? Take one clear picture per page and send all of them together in one message.
- Type or paste the words below and tap send.
Copy these words
“These pages are all one letter. Explain what it says in plain English. Tell me whether I need to do anything, and if so, what and by what date. List every date and dollar amount so I can check them.”
Good follow-up questions
- "Is this a bill, or only a notice?"
- "Which page matters most, and why?"
- "What are you unsure about in this letter?"
- "Don't do anything. Tell me my options first."
Before you trust the answer
AI can misread a small number or a date, especially in a photo that is blurry or slanted. Check every deadline and dollar amount against the paper itself. If the letter asks you to pay or act, call the number on your own card or statement, not a number printed in a letter you are unsure about.
Before you share it
Frequently asked questions
Does ChatGPT's Scan feature work on Android?
The October 1, 2026 release notes describe it as rolling out on iOS. On Android, take one picture per page and send them together in one message.
How many pages can I send?
Limits change from time to time, so check the app. For long letters, send the pages that matter most first, such as the first page and the page with the amounts.
Can I use Claude or Gemini instead?
Yes. Both read photos of letters. Tap the plus sign or paperclip next to the message box and choose Camera or Photos.
Get 5 more tasks like this, free
The free guide 5 Everyday Things AI Can Help You With gives you one task per page in large print, with the exact words to copy and a list of what to never give AI.
About the author: Nelson Lopatin
Nelson has worked on the internet since 1995 and runs US WebSites in the Rochester, NY area. He writes Easy AI for Seniors in plain English so adults 55 and older learn AI at their own pace.