Microsoft has announced it’ll shut down the Lens app, leaving millions of its users wondering what to do next. The company has suggested shifting to an alternative, which, however, comes with limitations and a price tag. If you’re looking for a different but fast and full-featured solution, here’s what you can do.
What Has Happened?
Microsoft will shut down its PDF scanner app, Lens, for iOS and Android users after ten years of service. The shutdown process will begin on September 15, and the app will be completely removed from devices on December 15.
“After that date, creating new scans in the Lens app will no longer be possible,” reads the official Microsoft website.
Instead, the company recommends using the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, which includes a built-in scanning feature.
Is Copilot Similar to Lens?
Partially. First, users need a Microsoft 365 subscription to access Copilot, as the app is part of the Microsoft ecosystem.
Second, even with a subscription, its functionality is limited compared to Lens. Users won’t be able to:
Save scans directly to OneNote, Word, or PowerPoint;
Scan business cards to save to OneNote;
Use the read-aloud feature;
Access Immersive Reader integration.
Consider iScanner as an Alternative
iScanner is a blend of a PDF editor and a mobile scanner, capable of everything Lens could do and even more.
To start with, you don’t need a subscription like Microsoft 365. You can start scanning right from the moment you download the app. To do that:
Tap Save–Done. Now you can send it straight away, with no registration required, by selecting Share in the top right corner.
In addition, iScanner shares all your beloved features from Lens. Apart from quick scanning, iScanner has many other features that make life easier:
Export files in the most convenient format. Once your document is scanned, you can choose to share it as a PDF, JPG, DOC, TXT, XLS, or PPT. No manual conversion is needed—the app handles it automatically.
Share your scanned docs easily. You can export scanned files via email, social media, messaging apps, AirDrop, and Bluetooth in just a few taps. If your phone is connected to a printer, you can also print directly from the app.
Turn any image into readable text. The app uses AI-powered OCR to digitize printed and handwritten documents in real time across 20+ languages. It accurately recognizes text, tables, images, logos, and signatures, creating fully editable digital copies for easy use and sharing. Here’s an example of an original document and the version recognized by iScanner using OCR:
Scan multiple pages or documents at once, all in one go.
Save your scanned documents directly to the cloud, if you choose to store your files there, allowing you to access them from any device or platform.
Finally, iScanner gives you extra power, turning you into a pro PDF user ready to handle any document task with ease:
AI automatically improves your scan quality. Even documents scanned on the go, in poor lighting, or at odd angles look perfectly clean and readable.
Its e-signature feature lets you sign documents in seconds. You can extract your signature from a previously signed document or simply draw it on your screen with your finger. By the way, you don’t need a subscription to do that; it’s absolutely free.
iScanner’s PDF editor is available in the free version and allows you to easily make changes to your documents right from your mobile device. You can add text, highlight important sections, insert shapes or annotations, and even sign documents digitally without needing to print them out. The editor also lets you merge multiple PDFs, rearrange pages, or delete unwanted ones, giving you full control over document structure.
Try iScanner Pro for Free with Our Promo Code!
We understand that changing the app you’re used to isn’t easy. To help get you started, we’re offering an exclusive trial for 3 months of the Pro version, which gives you access to all of iScanner’s features plus an extra 10 GB of cloud storage.
To redeem it,
Click or tap this link to go to the registration page.
Once you sign up and log in, you’ll receive a notification confirming that your promo code is active.
Enjoy!
If I could marry an app, iScanner would be getting a ring. 💍 This isn’t just a scanning app—it’s my personal document fairy godmother with a PhD in AI. I’ve thrown it the blurriest, most tragic, “are-you-sure-this-is-a-document?” messes, and it magically turns them crystal clear. ✨Everything you need is in one place: scan it, convert it, share it, save it, edit it, and yes… even fax it. 10/10—highly recommend to anyone who needs a scanning app that actually makes your life easier instead of making you want to throw your phone.
