Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Microsoft Sets Final Dates to Retire Lens, Shifts Mobile Scanning to OneDrive

The move consolidates scanning features to reduce overlap, emphasizing cloud-first storage.

Overview

  • Microsoft began the retirement on January 9, 2026, will remove Lens from app stores on February 9, and will disable new scans on March 9.
  • OneDrive’s mobile app now serves as the replacement for document capture, with the scan tool accessible from the plus icon.
  • Lens relies on Microsoft cloud services, and service access ends March 9, which will stop new scans and other cloud-dependent functions.
  • Existing files remain viewable in Lens only if the app stays installed and the user is signed into the last active account, with that access no longer supported.
  • OneDrive saves scans to cloud storage by default rather than locally, and users need to download files manually for device copies; alternatives include iPhone Notes, Google Drive, Genius Scan, Adobe Scan, and Photomyne.