Using the Portal on Mobile

The BorrowerDocs borrower portal is designed to work on any device. Most borrowers will open their magic link on a phone — the portal adapts to small screens without requiring an app download or any special setup.

No app required

Borrowers open the portal in their mobile browser — Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android, or any other modern browser. There is nothing to install.

When you send a borrower their magic link, they simply tap the link in their email and the portal opens. The entire experience — checklist, file upload, and messaging — works in the browser.

Uploading from a phone

Tapping Upload → Select Files on mobile opens the device's native file picker. Borrowers can choose from:

Photos & videos — from their camera roll or gallery
Files — from device storage or cloud services like iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox
Camera — most mobile browsers allow taking a new photo directly from the upload prompt

This makes it straightforward for borrowers to photograph physical documents (like a driver's license or a paper statement) and upload them on the spot.

Telling borrowers what to do

Many borrowers aren't sure what "upload a document" means on their phone. A few sentences in your intro text or a quick message in the portal chat can help a lot:

"To upload documents: open the link in this email on your phone, tap Upload next to each item, then choose the file from your photos or camera."

Setting a helpful intro text in Settings → Branding means borrowers see these instructions every time they open the portal.

What works well on mobile

Reviewing the checklist and seeing which items are outstanding
Uploading photos of physical documents using the camera
Uploading saved PDFs from cloud storage
Sending messages via file chat or per-item Q&A
Checking status updates as items are approved

Tips for a smooth mobile experience

Ask borrowers to use the link directly from email. Copying and pasting the URL into a browser sometimes strips part of the token, causing an error. Tapping the button in the email is the most reliable way to open the portal.

PDFs are easiest to read before uploading. If a borrower has bank statements as PDFs in their cloud storage, they can upload them directly. Photos of paper statements also work but may be harder to read. Encourage PDF when available.

Session stays active for 30 days. Borrowers don't need to tap the original link every time. After the first visit, their browser session stays active for 30 days. They can bookmark the portal page or return via their browser history.

Browser compatibility

The portal works in all modern mobile browsers. There are no known issues with:

Safari on iOS 15+
Chrome on Android 10+
Firefox on Android
Samsung Internet

Older browsers may have issues with the file picker. If a borrower reports trouble uploading, suggest they try Chrome.

Next steps

Uploading Documents — file limits and upload behavior
Magic Links & Access — how links work and what to do when they expire