Microsoft Lens app is being retired on both Android and iOS: What changes

Microsoft is discontinuing its document scanning app "Lens" in late 2025, while urging users to switch to AI-powered Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft is retiring its mobile document scanning app, Microsoft Lens, by the end of 2025. According to the Microsoft support page, the app will be retired from iOS and Android devices starting September 15. Microsoft Lens will be removed from the App Store and Google Play Store on November 15, 2025. Meanwhile, scanning functionality will be available until December 15 for existing users.

 

First launched in 2015 as Office Lens, the app has been widely used for scanning documents, receipts, business cards, and whiteboard notes into digital files like PDFs, Word documents, and images.

Microsoft Lens retirement timeline

Microsoft Lens will be phased out on mobile devices in late 2025. The app will gradually lose support and functionality over a few months, giving users time to transition. Here’s the timeline to keep in mind:

 

• September 15, 2025: Microsoft Lens will start to be retired from iOS and Android devices.
• November 15, 2025: Microsoft Lens will be removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and will no longer be supported.
• December 15, 2025: Scanning functionality will be disabled. Users will no longer be able to create new scans in the app.
• After December 15, 2025, users will still be able to access their previously saved scans as long as the app remains installed on their device.

How to access your existing data 

You can continue accessing your previous scans from the MyScans section of the Microsoft Lens app while the app remains installed on your device. Meanwhile, you can also access it from the Microsoft 365 Copilot app using the following method:

 

iOS users

 

Cloud files: Open the Create tab and select the folder icon in the top right corner to open My Creations. You can access past scans here.

 

Local files: Scans from Microsoft Lens saved locally are not available on the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.

 

Android users

 

Cloud files: Open the Create tab and select the folder icon in the top right corner to open My Creations. You can access past scans here.

 

Local files: To access locally saved scans, grant All Files Access permission to Microsoft 365 Copilot. Then, open the Create tab and select the folder icon in the top right corner to open My Creations. You can access past scans here.

 

Recommended alternative: Microsoft 365 Copilot app

To continue using scanning capabilities, Microsoft has recommended transitioning to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, which offers a built-in scanning feature. While Copilot includes scanning capabilities, it currently lacks several key features of Lens, such as saving scans directly into apps like OneNote or PowerPoint, handling business card scans effectively, and accessibility options like Immersive Reader integration.