Microsoft to Discontinue Lens PDF Scanner App for iOS and Android

Microsoft announced that it will phase out the Microsoft Lens PDF scanner app for Android and iOS devices starting in September. Microsoft Lens, formerly known as Office Lens, allows users to convert images into PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files, and can scan both printed and handwritten text. The app has been downloaded 50 million times on the Google Play Store, boasting over 952,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5. It has also received nearly 136,000 ratings on the Apple App Store. The retirement process will commence in mid-September, with new installs on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store disabled one month later. By mid-November, Microsoft Lens will be removed from app stores, and users will be unable to create new scans after December 15, 2025. Existing scans will remain accessible in the app’s MyScans folder, but this functionality will no longer be supported.

Microsoft advised users to transition to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, which offers similar scanning capabilities. However, the Microsoft 365 Copilot app does not allow users to save scans directly to OneNote, Word, or PowerPoint, nor does it support scanning business cards for OneNote. Additionally, it lacks read-out-loud functionality and Immersive Reader integration. Microsoft pledged to continue enhancing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app with new features. This announcement is part of a broader trend, as Microsoft has also indicated the discontinuation of other services, including the Microsoft Authenticator app’s password autofill feature and the Microsoft Publisher application, which will no longer be supported after October 2026. 

Categories: App Retirement, User Transition, Feature Limitations 

Tags: Microsoft, Lens, PDF, Scanner, Android, iOS, Microsoft 365, Copilot, App Store, Functionality