Microsoft Retires Lens Scanner in December, Shifts Users to Copilot

Microsoft said it will phase out its Lens mobile document-scanning application, ending an 11-year run for the tool that converts paper documents, whiteboards and receipts into digital files. The retirement will begin on 15 Sept. 2025, when the company blocks new installations. Lens will disappear from Apple’s App Store and Google Play in mid-November, and users will lose the ability to create new scans after 15 Dec., though existing files will remain accessible in the app’s MyScans folder. The software maker is directing customers to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, which now includes a Scan feature that saves files to OneDrive under “MyCreations.” Copilot, however, does not yet replicate several Lens functions such as saving scans directly to OneNote, Word or PowerPoint, scanning business cards into OneNote, or providing read-aloud and Immersive Reader accessibility options. Microsoft said it plans to add more capabilities over time. Lens remains popular despite its age: the app has logged about 92 million downloads since 2017 and attracted roughly 322,000 installs in the last month, according to Appfigures. The shutdown underscores Microsoft’s broader push to fold standalone utilities into its Copilot AI suite as it prioritizes artificial-intelligence-driven services across its product line.