Microsoft is set to retire one of its highly-rated mobile applications, Microsoft Lens, later this year. Initially known as Office Lens, this popular PDF scanner app has served millions of users on both Android and iOS platforms by converting printed and handwritten text into multiple file formats.
Phased Retirement
The phased retirement process is scheduled to commence in mid-September 2025, when new installations of Microsoft Lens from the Apple App Store and Google Play will be halted. By mid-November 2025, the app will be altogether removed from both platforms, with the ability to create new scans ceasing entirely after December 15, 2025.
Despite its pending retirement, existing users will retain access to previously created scans stored in the
End of an Era
The impending retirement of Microsoft Lens aligns with the company's strategic decision to streamline its software offerings. The discontinuation of Lens follows several other recent changes: Microsoft has also deprecated the password autofill feature in Microsoft Authenticator, announced the scheduled end of Microsoft Publisher by 2026, and removed Paint 3D from the Microsoft Store.
With over 50 million downloads on Google Play and nearly a million reviews averaging 4.8 stars on both Android and iOS, Microsoft Lens has been a favorite among users for its efficiency and versatility. The app's retirement is expected to leave a gap that the 365 Copilot may not fully fill, especially with the absence of some popular extra features.
