Still using Microsoft Lens?You only have a few weeks to find an alternative

Microsoft originally planned to shut down its mobile scanner until December 15, but it has now been pushed to March 9, giving you about two months to switch to another app.

The Microsoft Lens app for Android and iOS allows users to view real-time documents with their smartphones.Last year, Microsoft said it would close on December 15th, but now that we're close to 2026, it's still here.

Not for a long time.As seen by Windows Latest, Microsoft recently changed its support documentation to say that the mobile scanner will now begin its retirement process on January 9. Come on.

Those who have the app installed can continue to scan new documents until March 9, after which you can view your previous scans until you're "logged in to your last active account" and avoid deleting the app from your device.

However, you can transfer important files to another backup service soon, as it is not clear whether Microsoft will remove this function.If you also lose your device after February 9, you may lose access to the files because you won't be able to download the app to a new smartphone.

Microsoft recommends switching to OneDrive and using the built-in scanner feature.You can download OneDrive from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.To access this feature, tap the plus icon at the bottom, then tap Scan Photo.If you use an iPhone, we recommend that you try Abbyy Finereader as an alternative.

Microsoft announced the end of the Lens app in August, when it said the decommissioning process would begin in September and be completed by the end of the year.It's unclear why Microsoft is delaying Lens' retirement, but you now have a few weeks left to switch to the new service.

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I've been a journalist for over a decade, since I started covering technology in 2013.I joined 2025 where I cover the latest developments in technology, writing about the devices and services you use every day.Be sure to send me any tips you think you might be interested in.

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