Microsoft has announced that its popular document scanning app, Microsoft Lens, will be retired by the end of 2025. The app, first launched in 2015 as “Office Lens,” was created to scan physical documents, handwritten notes, and whiteboards, turning them into digital files for free. Over the years, it became a useful tool for students, professionals, and anyone who needed quick and easy document scanning.
The company will remove Microsoft Lens from the iOS and Android app stores on September 15, 2025. Users who already have the app installed will still be able to use it until November 15, 2025, after which Microsoft will stop supporting it. Scanning will continue for a short while, but from December 15, 2025, this feature will be completely disabled. After that date, users will only be able to access their older scans in the MyScans section.
Microsoft has not given an official reason for discontinuing the Lens app but is suggesting that users switch to its AI-powered Copilot app instead. Copilot can scan documents through its mobile app by going to the “Create” tab, and it can also perform the task on the desktop version and website.
However, Microsoft has confirmed that some popular Lens features will not be available in Copilot. These include saving scans directly to OneNote, Word, or PowerPoint, scanning business cards into OneNote, reading documents aloud, and using the immersive Reader tool. This means users who rely on these options may have to look for other scanning apps or adjust their workflow.
Microsoft Lens originally started on Windows Phone devices and stood out because it offered all its features free of charge, unlike many competitors. Over time, it expanded to other platforms and became a go-to scanning solution for many.
With the rise of AI tools, Microsoft is clearly shifting its focus toward integrating scanning and other features into its Copilot platform, rather than maintaining separate standalone apps. While some users may miss Lens, Microsoft hopes that the Copilot app will provide a smooth transition for most document scanning needs.
