Microsoft to Retire Lens App, Pushes Users Towards AI-Powered Copilot

Microsoft to shut down Lens and push users to Copilot - but you have other options

I often use Microsoft Lens on my iPhone to scan photos, business cards, and documents. It's a handy and helpful app for scanning physical items. But come December, I'll have to rely on a different program for my scanning needs. That's because Microsoft is giving the app the heave-ho. In a new support page, Microsoft announced that Lens will be retired starting Sept. 15. But the actual retirement will come in stages. The app will lose official support on Nov. 15, at which time it will be removed from Apple's App Store and Google Play. Also: Microsoft rolls out GPT-5 across its Copilot suite - here's where you'll find it Even then, you'll still be able to create new scans. However, that capability will go away on Dec. 15. At that point, you can continue to view and access previous scans as long as you keep the app on your device, but you'll no longer be able to scan new items. For those of us who used and liked Microsoft Lens, what can we use as an alternative come December? There are certainly other scanning apps you can try when Microsoft Lens is gone. I've used Adobe Scan, Google's PhotoScan, and TurboScan, to name a few. Though I still typically turn to Lens for my scanning, any of these other apps can handle the job. As usual, Microsoft is pointing us to AI, specifically the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. But that's not the regular Copilot app. That's the Copilot app you normally use with a Microsoft 365 account. Fortunately, the app and the scanning capability are accessible to anyone, even without a Microsoft 365 subscription. Also: 5 non-Google productivity apps on Android I can't live (or work) without To try this, download the Microsoft 365 Copilot app for iOS or Android. Open the app and tap the three-lined icon in the upper left. Tap Create from the menu, and then select Scan. Position the item you wish to scan and tap the shutter button. At the preview screen, you're able to rotate, crop, and otherwise tweak the scan. You can also retake it or delete it. When done, tap the checkmark to save the scanned image. You can store the scans locally on your mobile device or sync them with OneDrive to access them elsewhere. You can also view previous scans at the Create screen. However, there are a few limitations using Copilot vs. Microsoft Lens for scanning. Also: Microsoft gives Copilot a face - here's how to try your new Appearance chat buddy With Copilot, you can't save scans directly to Word, PowerPoint, or OneNote. You're unable to save scanned business cards to OneNote. Copilot offers no option to read scanned documents aloud, nor does it integrate with the Immersive Reader feature. Of course, Microsoft sees AI as the solution for everything, so you're stuck with this option.

Microsoft Is Retiring Its Lens App and Suggests Copilot as Replacement

Microsoft said Lens app users should shift to the Copilot app Microsoft Lens app will be discontinued later this year, the company said last week. The app was designed to scan images of physical documents, text, handwritten papers, and whiteboards and convert them into digital files. However, the Redmond-based tech giant stated that it will be retired in a phased manner by the end of this year. While the company did not share the reason behind the discontinuation of the Lens app, it suggested that users switch to the Microsoft Copilot 365 as an alternative. While the debate on artificial intelligence (AI) replacing jobs continues, it has already started replacing apps. The Microsoft Lens app, which was launched in 2015 as a document scanning tool, is being retired as the company recommends users use the Copilot app instead. On its support page, the tech giant stated that the Lens app will be retired from the iOS and Android marketplaces on September 15. Then, after November 15, Microsoft will stop supporting the app, although those who had previously installed the app will be able to scan new documents. Finally, this capability will also be taken away after December 2025. After that, users can only access older scans from the MyScans section. Notably, Microsoft first released the app aimed at its Windows Phone devices. Back then, it was called the Office Lens, and unlike other third-party tools, which required either purchasing the app or paying a subscription for premium features, it offered all features for free. Offering an alternative, the tech giant is now recommending users to use Copilot for all their document scanning needs. On the mobile app, users can open the menu and head to the Create tab to directly scan their documents. The desktop app and the website can also perform this task when prompted for the same. However, Microsoft highlighted that some Lens app features are not available in the Copilot app. These include saving scans directly to OneNote, Word, or PowerPoint, scanning business cards to OneNote, reading documents aloud, and the integration of an immersive Reader.

Microsoft Lens app to be retired from iOS and Android - The Economic Times

Microsoft Lens, which was launched in 2015, will be retired from iOS and Android devices starting September 15, 2025. Users will still be able to use its scanning features until December 15, 2025, if the app is already on their device. The company is now recommending its Copilot AI chat app as an alternative to Microsoft Lens.Microsoft has announced that its Lens app will be retired from iOS and Android devices starting September 15, 2025. It will then be removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play on November 15, 2025. Users will still be able to use its scanning features until December 15, 2025, if the app is already on their device. Thereafter, they won't be able to scan anything new, but their existing scans will remain on the device, as long as they keep the app installed. How it worked With Microsoft Lens, users could scan handwritten notes, documents, receipts, or business cards, and turn them into various formats such as PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or images. It also included filters to enhance the scans, make text clearer, or turn them into black-and-white copies. Once scanned, users could save their files directly to Microsoft apps, other cloud services, or just to their phone's photo gallery. Launched in 2015 (it was originally called Office Lens), the app began as an application on Windows Phone devices. Unlike many scanning apps, it didn't charge extra for features or push users into paid subscriptions. Copilot to the rescue With Lens on its way out, Microsoft is now directing its users towards the Copilot AI chat app as an alternative. However, while Copilot does offer scanning, it doesn't currently let you save scans directly into Word, OneNote, or PowerPoint. It also doesn't support business card scans to OneNote or include accessibility tools such as read-aloud or Immersive Reader, which Lens did. How to access existing scans Users can still view their old scans in the MyScans section of the Microsoft Lens app, as long as the app is still installed on their device. They can also access them from the Microsoft 365 Copilot App. iOS users Android users