Short answer: Microsoft retired Lens in early 2026: it left the app stores on 9 February and stopped taking new scans on 9 March. Microsoft recommends the OneDrive app, which has scanning built in. For business paperwork, ScanPix is a Microsoft Lens alternative that captures from any phone, then files, searches and shares what you capture.
What happened to Microsoft Lens
Microsoft Lens (earlier called Office Lens) was a free scanner app for iPhone and Android. Microsoft has retired it. According to Microsoft's retirement notice:
- 9 January 2026: the retirement began.
- 9 February 2026: Lens was no longer supported and was removed from the App Store and Google Play.
- 9 March 2026: Lens stopped creating new scans.
Microsoft says you can still open your previous scans if the app remains installed on your phone and you stay signed in to the account you last used. For new scans it recommends the OneDrive app, which has a scan button built in.
Where your old Lens scans are
Before you uninstall anything, find your old scans. Lens could save to several places, so check each one you used:
- Your phone's gallery or files, if you saved scans as images or PDFs on the device.
- OneDrive, if you saved scans to the cloud.
- OneNote, Word or PowerPoint, if you sent scans into those apps.
If Lens is still installed, open it and export anything that only exists inside the app. Once your scans are safe as images or PDFs, you can bring them into whatever you use next. With ScanPix you can import existing images and PDFs as well as capture new ones.
What Lens users need next
Most people used Lens for one of two jobs. Your replacement depends on which.
- A quick scan to share. A receipt for a claim, a signed form for an email. You need a clean, straightened page as a PDF or image, fast.
- Business paperwork that has to be found again. Bills, agreements, delivery notes, customer forms. Here the scan is the easy part. The hard part is naming it, filing it and finding it six months later.
For the first job, the OneDrive app's scanner is a sensible default, especially if you already use Microsoft 365. For the second, a document workspace saves the most time.
OneDrive scanning vs ScanPix
- Capture. Both scan from a phone camera. ScanPix detects the page edges, straightens it, and lets you crop, rotate and enhance, one page or many.
- Where files go. OneDrive saves scans to your OneDrive. ScanPix stores documents in its own secure storage by default, and can write pages you add on the web into your own OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox or S3 bucket. Pages captured in the ScanPix mobile apps are stored with ScanPix for now. See your storage or ours.
- Filing. OneDrive keeps files in folders you manage. ScanPix reads each page when you save it, fills in details like date and amount for you to check, and files documents into folders and categories.
- Search. ScanPix searches the words inside documents it stores, so "the electricity bill from March" is a search, not a scroll. Searching by text is not yet available for pages kept in your own storage.
- Beyond scanning. ScanPix also collects documents from clients by link, adds signatures and stamps, keeps customer records, and gives a team shared access with roles. OneDrive is general-purpose file storage and sharing.
Based on Microsoft's public retirement notice and product pages as of September 2026. Check Microsoft's site for current OneDrive features. ScanPix is not affiliated with Microsoft.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the OneDrive app if…
- You mostly need quick scans and already live in Microsoft 365.
- Folders you manage yourself are enough to find things later.
- You don't need client document requests, signatures or customer records.
Choose ScanPix if…
- You scan business paperwork and need to find it again by what it says.
- You want details read and filled in instead of typed.
- A team needs the same documents, with roles for who manages them.
- You want to keep files in your own OneDrive, Drive, Dropbox or S3.
Only need to turn a few photos into a PDF? The free JPG to PDF tool works in your browser and uploads nothing. For other scanner apps, see ScanPix vs Adobe Scan and ScanPix vs CamScanner.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Lens discontinued?
Yes. Microsoft retired Lens in 2026. It was removed from the app stores on 9 February 2026 and stopped creating new scans on 9 March 2026. Previous scans can still be opened if the app stays installed and signed in.
What does Microsoft recommend instead of Lens?
Microsoft recommends the OneDrive app, which includes a built-in scanner. It is a good fit if you already use Microsoft 365 and mainly need quick scans.
What is the best Microsoft Lens alternative for business documents?
One that files what you scan, not just captures it. ScanPix scans from any phone, reads each page and fills in details, searches the words inside your documents, and lets a team share them with roles.
Can I move my old Lens scans into ScanPix?
Yes, once they are saved as images or PDFs. Export them from Lens, OneDrive or OneNote first, then import them into ScanPix, where they are read and filed like new captures.
Can ScanPix save my scans to OneDrive?
Pages you add on the ScanPix web app can be written to your own OneDrive once you connect it in Storage settings. Pages captured in the mobile apps are stored in ScanPix storage for now.
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