Microsoft Is Finally Retiring Its Free Scanner App (but There Are Alternatives)
Nothing is forever. Devices lose support, standards are replaced, and software becomes obsolete. The same goes for Microsoft Lens, whose days are numbered. Close observers have known this since August, when Microsoft first announced that Lens would be retired in September and removed from app stores in November. That obviously didn’t happen, as the company adjusted the deadline to December 15, a date that has also been on and off. Microsoft gave up on retirement later, that is, until now.
Microsoft Lens was Microsoft’s solution for anyone who didn’t own a scanner in the mid-2010s. Rather than purchasing expensive hardware to scan documents, Lens allowed users to use their smartphone’s camera to turn those paper copies into digital files. It wasn’t the only document scanner available on the app stores (Apple’s Notes app has included this feature since iOS 11), but since it was made by Microsoft, it was a good solution for importing files into Microsoft apps like Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. It is also free and compatible with Android and iOS, making the app universally accessible. We even listed it first in our roundup of the best document scanning apps of 2021.
According to the app’s support document, Microsoft Lens officially began the withdrawal procedure on January 9. This does not mean that the application is dead: Microsoft will still support it until February 9. After that, the app will not receive any updates and Microsoft will remove it from app stores. (If you’re passionate or curious about Microsoft Lens, be sure to install it first.) Either way, you’ll only have one more month to use it. Starting March 9, you will no longer be able to create new scans in Lens, but you will still be able to view your previous scans as long as the app remains on your device.
The best alternatives to Microsoft Lens
Once installed in mid-March, Microsoft Lens users will need to choose another scanning app. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to choose from on the app stores. In fact, you may not need to download anything new: as mentioned above, iPhone users can access the Notes app’s built-in scanner, while Google Drive users can do the same.
What do you think of it so far?
Microsoft, of course, wants you to stay within the ecosystem, so they would prefer you use OneDrive’s built-in scanner. If you already have this app on your phone, this might be as good an option as any. However, there are popular dedicated apps, like Genius Scan, Adobe Scan, and Photomyne, which offer additional features not available in built-in scanners.
