Microsoft has officially retired its document scanning app, Microsoft Lens. The company confirmed this in an updated support document. Microsoft Lens is now retired on Android and iOS from January 9, 2026. Support for the app will end on February 9, 2026. Users can continue scanning documents until March 9, 2026. After that, the app will not allow new scans. Old scans will still remain accessible through the last Microsoft account used on the app. Microsoft will also remove the app from the App Store and Google Play Store by February 9.
Back in September, we reported that Microsoft was planning to shut down Microsoft Lens on December 15. At that time, reports suggested that scanning features would stop much earlier. However, Microsoft has now extended the timeline. Based on the latest official update, the company has delayed the final shutdown by a few months. This shows that Microsoft needed more time to move users away from Lens.
Microsoft Lens was once one of the most popular free scanning apps on smartphones. It launched in 2015 as Office Lens and first arrived on Windows Phone. Microsoft later released it for Android and iOS. In 2021, the app was renamed Microsoft Lens. The goal was simple. It made scanning and saving documents easy.
The app allowed users to scan documents, receipts, business cards, notes, and whiteboards. It could convert scans into PDF files, Word documents, and other formats. Many users liked it because it was fast and free. It also did not push subscriptions.
Over the years, things changed. Smartphones started offering built-in document scanners. Cloud apps also added scanning tools inside larger apps. Microsoft did the same. It added scanning features to OneDrive and started focusing more on Microsoft 365 Copilot. Slowly, Microsoft Lens became less important.
Microsoft is now asking users to scan documents using OneDrive. The OneDrive app includes a scan option under the “+” button. These scans are saved directly in the cloud. Users can no longer save scans only on their phones like before.
Earlier reports also suggested that Microsoft plans to move Lens features into Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot is Microsoft’s AI-powered productivity tool. It helps users work with documents, summaries, and content using AI. Adding scanning features there fits Microsoft’s shift towards AI-based apps.
The shutdown of Microsoft Lens has received mixed reactions. Some users think moving scanning into OneDrive or Copilot makes sense. Others feel Lens was better as a simple and focused app. Many users say it was faster and easier to use. Some also believe Microsoft should not shut down useful tools without a clear replacement.
The retirement of Microsoft Lens shows a bigger trend in tech. Companies are moving away from small apps and focusing on all-in-one platforms. This adds more features but also makes simple tasks more complex. Users will now need to adjust. They can use OneDrive, Microsoft 365 Copilot, or third-party scanning apps. Still, many people will miss how simple and reliable Microsoft Lens was.
