Microsoft Lens made its mark as a straightforward tool that turned paper documents, business cards, and more into digital files, delivering simplicity when you needed it most. Now, the company is set to retire this handy app in favour of the new, AI-driven Copilot.
According to Microsoft’s latest support document, the phase-out will begin on iOS and Android devices on September 15, 2025, with the app disappearing from the Apple App Store and Google Play on November 15, 2025. You’ll still be able to scan documents until December 15, 2025, but no new scans will be possible after that – though your past scans will remain accessible on your device.
Launched initially in 2015 under the name Office Lens for Windows Phone, the app was a favourite for its range of file exports—like PDF and Word—without any extra subscription fuss. It also enhanced image quality with built-in filters and optimisations to boost clarity, ensuring your scanned documents looked great.
The shutdown was first spotted by BleepingComputer. While the new Microsoft 365 Copilot app does offer document scanning, it leaves out a few features that Lens users appreciated, such as saving directly to OneNote, Word, or PowerPoint, and some accessibility tools like read-aloud capabilities and Immersive Reader.
Despite its upcoming end, Microsoft Lens has enjoyed a strong following, with more than 322,000 downloads in the last month and a total of 92.3 million since 2017, according to Appfigures. Microsoft hasn’t yet revealed the reasons behind this strategic change, but if you’ve ever wished for fewer, smarter apps, you might find Copilot a refreshing alternative.
