💡 Our Technical Review in summary
Microsoft has announced the retirement of the standalone Microsoft Lens mobile application for both iOS and Android platforms. This retirement will occur in a phased approach beginning January 9, 2026. The core document scanning and enhancement capabilities previously found in Lens have been integrated into the Microsoft OneDrive mobile app, which Microsoft recommends as the primary replacement for all users.
Impact
- Phased Retirement Timeline:
- January 9, 2026: The phased retirement process begins.
- February 9, 2026: The Microsoft Lens app will be officially removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
- March 9, 2026: Users will lose the ability to create new scans within the Lens app.
- Access to Data: Users can still view existing scans via the “MyScans” section within the app after March 9, provided the app remains installed. However, this functionality will no longer be supported by Microsoft.
- Authentication: Users must remain signed into their last active account to access historical scans; re-authentication may not be supported post-retirement.
- Workflow Change: Users who rely on Lens for capturing documents, whiteboards, or business cards will need to transition to the “Scan” icon within the OneDrive mobile app.
Action Required
- User Communication: Notify your organization’s users about the retirement dates and the transition to the Microsoft OneDrive app for scanning needs.
- Documentation Update: Review and update internal help desk articles, training materials, or onboarding documents that reference Microsoft Lens as a recommended tool.
- Deployment Strategy: Ensure the Microsoft OneDrive mobile app is deployed and managed via your Mobile Application Management (MAM) or Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions if it is not already present on corporate devices.
- Data Migration: Encourage users to ensure their important scans are synced to OneDrive or another supported location before the March 9, 2026, deadline to prevent potential data loss if the app is deleted.
Microsoft Official Update
Service: N/A
Category: planForChange
Severity: normal
Updated January 9, 2026: We have updated this post to reflect timeline updates. Thank you for your patience.
We will retire the Microsoft Lens app from iOS and Android in a phased approach starting January 9th, 2026. We recommend users to use the scan capability in the OneDrive app.
This change applies to the Microsoft Lens mobile app on iOS and Android.
How this affects your organization
The app will be removed from the stores on February 9, 2026. Users who already have the app downloaded on their devices can continue to use the scanning capability in the app until March 9, 2026. After that, users will no longer be able to create new scans in the app. Users can continue to access their previous scans from MyScans in the app after the change while they still have the app on their devices, although this capability will not be supported by Microsoft. Please note that users need to be signed into your last active account on the Microsoft Lens app to access past scans.
What you can do to prepare
This change will happen automatically on the specified dates above. No admin action is required. Please notify your users of this change, update any internal documentation, and encourage users to use the OneDrive app for their scanning needs.
For more information, read the support article.
