Microsoft Is Finally Retiring Its Free Scanner App (but T...

What’s Happening

Not gonna lie, Microsoft is officially retiring Microsoft Lens, unless it decides to delay again.

Devices lose support, standards are replaced, and software becomes obsolete. So it is with Microsoft Lens, whose days are numbered. (plot twist fr)

Keen observers have known about this since August , when Microsoft first just dropped that Lens would be retired in September and removed from app stores in November.

The Details

That obviously didn’t happen, as the company adjusted the deadline to Dec. Microsoft kicked the retirement can down the road that is, until now.

Microsoft Lens was Microsoft’s solution for anyone in the mid-2010s who didn’t own a scanner. Rather than buy an expensive piece of hardware to digitize documents, Lens allowed people to use their phone camera to turn those hard copies into digital files.

Why This Matters

It was hardly the only document scanner available on app stores ( Apple’s Notes app has had the function built in since iOS 11 ), but because it was made by Microsoft, it was a good solution for getting files into Microsoft apps like Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. It’s also free and compatible with both Android and iOS, making the app universally accessible. We even listed it first in our roundup of the best document scanner apps from 2021.

This could have major implications for how we use technology going forward.

Key Takeaways

• According to the app’s support document , Microsoft Lens officially began retirement proceedings on Jan.
• That doesn’t mean the app is dead, though: Microsoft will still support it until Feb.
• After that, the app will receive no updates, and Microsoft will remove it from app stores.
• (If you’re passionate or curious about Microsoft Lens, make sure to install it before then.

The Bottom Line

As of March 9, you will no longer be able to create new scans in Lens, but you’ll still be able to view your previous scans as long as the app remains on your device. You May Also Like The best alternatives to Microsoft Lens Once we settle into mid-March, Microsoft Lens users will need to choose an alternative scanning app.

What do you think about all this?