Microsoft is killing off its well-loved Lens PDF scanner app - in favor of more AI tools

• Microsoft Lens app will be retired from app stores after a decade
• Users can still scan documents with the Microsoft 365 Copilot app
• Some features, including direct app access, won't be available in Copilot

Microsoft has confirmed it will be pulling its mobile document scanning app, which formerly launched as Office Lens in 2015, with users given a series of dates to be aware of.

From September 15 2025, the app will be retired from iOS and Android devices, and removed from the respective app stores two months later. On the third month – December 15 – scanning within the pre-installed app will be disabled, but existing scans will still remain accessible.

Known for charging no subscription fees and its simple, reliable functionality, Microsoft Lens has been a valuable tool for converting printed or handwritten notes into PDFs and other core file types.