Sometimes, we just want an app that works well without complications. Microsoft Lens was that app. It made scanning documents, business cards, and receipts easy and straightforward. However, Microsoft announced it’s shutting down Lens, pushing users towards its Copilot AI chat app instead.
According to Microsoft’s support page, Lens will no longer be available on iOS and Android starting September 15, 2025. Users can keep scanning until December 15, 2025. After that, they can only access previous scans if they have the app on their devices.
Launched in 2015 as Office Lens, this app began its journey on Windows Phone. Unlike many apps that add hidden fees, Lens offered its features for free, which became a breath of fresh air for users. It excelled at scanning various types of materials—from handwritten notes to whiteboard doodles—converting them into formats like PDF, Word, or images.
What made Lens special was its usability. The app offered filters to enhance images, making documents clearer or changing colors. Users could save files directly to services like OneNote or their phone’s gallery. It was simple and effective.
The news of Lens’s shutdown was first reported by Bleeping Computer. Many users are concerned, as the Copilot app does not have all the features that made Lens popular. For example, while Copilot can scan, it doesn’t let users save scans to OneNote or include accessibility features like read-aloud options.
Despite the impending closure, Microsoft Lens remains popular, with over 322,000 downloads in just 30 days, according to Appfigures. Since its launch, it has been downloaded 92.3 million times. This shows that many users still value the app, even as its days are numbered.
In the tech world, applications come and go, but some leave a mark. Lens offered simplicity in an age of complexity. As we shift to newer technologies like AI-driven solutions, some users are left wondering if this change benefits them. The success of Lens highlights a demand for straightforward, user-friendly tools in a crowded market.
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