Microsoft is removing one of its most beloved Android and iOS apps today
Summary
- Microsoft Lens is being removed from Android and iOS stores as part of a likely Microsoft 365 Copilot consolidation.
- You can still scan with the Lens app until March 9, 2026; after that, new scans won’t work.
- Switch to OneDrive for continued scanning or use alternative scanning apps.
Well, today’s the day. If you cast your mind back a month, you may remember that Microsoft announced the deprecation of Microsoft Lens from the Android and iOS stores. It may seem like a strange move, given how the app is receiving rave reviews and lots of downloads on both platforms. However, it seems that Microsoft wants to bring all of its productivity apps under one Microsoft 365 Copilot umbrella, which includes giving Microsoft Lens’ document-scanning feature to OneDrive. Now, as per Microsoft’s original announcement, the Lens app is getting removed from both the Android Play Store and the iOS App Store.
Microsoft is deprecating a Windows app that I don’t remember ever using
Not even accidentally.
Microsoft Lens has been scrapped from both mobile stores
But you can still use it. For now.
Back in January, we reported Microsofts statement that the company planned to scrap Microsoft Lens on Android and iOS on February 9th. I can still see Microsoft Lens on both stores, so it doesn’t seem like the company planned to scrap the app on the stroke of midnight, so if you caught this article quick, you may still have the option to download it.
However, don’t think you can grab it now and use it forever. As per the original announcement, anyone downloading the app today will only get a month’s worth of use out of it before it breaks on a software level:
You can continue to scan documents in the app until March 9, 2026. After that, you will not be able to create new scans, but you will still be able to access your previous scans if the app remains installed on your device.
If you’re a fan of Microsoft Lens (and you’re not alone; the app has a stunning 4.8/5 star rating on both the Android and iOS stores), Microsoft recommends that you instead move over to OneDrive to continue scanning new documents once March rolls around. If you don’t want to do that, our sister site, How-To Geek, wrote an article on the best ways to scan your documents on your phone or tablet, which offers some alternate apps you may already have installed.
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