How To Create Black and White PDF Documents with your Phone

The Workers’ Compensation Board converts every document you file into black and white. Grayscale and color files often become illegible after conversion — so the safest approach is to scan your documents in black and white from the start. Here’s how to create black and white PDFs on both platforms:

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Android

Option 1 — Google Drive (built-in, free)

1. Open the Google Drive app
2. Tap the + button → Scan
3. Take a photo of your document
4. Google Drive will automatically flatten the image and convert it to black and white yale
5. Save as PDF

Option 2 — Microsoft Office Lens (free)

1. Open Office Lens, point at your document
2. Tap the Filters option, choose black and white, then tap Finish 
3. Save as PDF to your phone or OneDrive

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iOS

Built-in Notes App (no download needed)

1. Open the Notes app → create or open a note
2. Tap the camera icon → Scan Documents
3. Scan your page(s), then tap the thumbnail to edit
4. Apply a black & white filter, then tap Save
5. Share/export as PDF

Once you have a black and white PDF, you can email it to the Workers’ Compensation Board at wcbclaimsfiling@wcb.ny.gov — remember to include your name and WCB number in the subject line.