Sometimes it’s comforting to have a straightforward application that excels in one specific task without any unnecessary complexities.
Microsoft Lens, a mobile document scanner, was precisely that kind of app. It effortlessly transformed physical documents, business cards, receipts, and various items into easily accessible digital files. However, Microsoft has announced the discontinuation of this app, redirecting users to their Copilot AI chat app instead.
As per a recent support document, Microsoft plans to retire Lens from iOS and Android devices by September 15, 2025, followed by its removal from the Apple App Store and Google Play on November 15, 2025. Existing users will retain access to the scanning features until December 15, 2025. After this date, new scans will not be possible, although previously scanned documents will remain accessible as long as the app remains on the user’s device.
Initially introduced in 2015 as Office Lens, Microsoft Lens evolved from an app designed for Windows Phone devices. Unlike many mobile scanning apps, Lens did not impose additional charges for specific features or push users towards subscriptions, distinguishing it in the App Store.
Lens efficiently converted handwritten notes, documents, receipts, business cards, or whiteboard scribbles into various file formats like PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or images. It also offered multiple built-in filters to enhance images, adjust document brightness, create sharper black-and-white copies, and more.
The impending closure of the app was first identified by Bleeping Computer. Users are being directed to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, which lacks many features present in Lens. While Copilot supports scanning, it lacks direct saving to OneNote, Word, or PowerPoint and does not save business card scans to OneNote. Additionally, Copilot does not offer Lens’ accessibility features like read-out-loud and Immersive Reader integration.
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Despite its age, Lens maintains a significant user base, with over 322,000 downloads on the App Store and Google Play in the last 30 days, as per data from Appfigures. Since January 2017, the app has been downloaded 92.3 million times.
Microsoft has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the rationale behind discontinuing Lens.
