As smartphone makers integrate advanced features directly into stock apps, third-party tools are slowly losing their place. The Lens App, previously known as Microsoft Office Lens, is the latest casualty in this shift. Once a go-to choice for scanning documents on mobile, the Lens App will soon be retired on both Android and iOS.
Lens App Shutdown Timeline
Microsoft announced that it will begin its phase-out in mid-September 2025. By mid-October, it will be removed from both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, preventing new downloads. The complete removal is scheduled for mid-November. After December 15, 2025, Microsoft will block all new scans within the app, effectively ending its functionality.
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What Happens to Your Existing Scans?
For now, your current scans will remain accessible in the MyScans folder of the Lens App, but they won’t be supported or updated. Microsoft recommends switching to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, which offers similar scanning features. Files saved to OneDrive will still be accessible under the MyCreations section in the Copilot app.
Best Alternatives to the Lens App
If you prefer not to use Microsoft 365 Copilot, several reliable document scanning apps are available, including Adobe Scan, CamScanner, Abbyy FineReader PDF, and Genius Scan. Many of these offer OCR, cloud sync, and multi-page scanning features that Lens App users have relied on.
The discontinuation of the Lens App follows Microsoft’s recent removal of password management features from Microsoft Authenticator. It’s a reminder that even popular apps with millions of downloads, over 50 million for it, can face retirement when built-in smartphone features make them redundant.
