HarborlightBefore and after
According to Android Authority's report on Microsoft's retirement timeline:
The OneDrive app is a reasonable option if you already store everything in Microsoft's cloud. Many people only want a quick scan to PDF, without a cloud account, and that's where most free scanner apps add watermarks, ads or scan limits.
Three reasonable paths
- Use the OneDrive app. Microsoft's own suggestion. It scans well, but saves to a Microsoft account and cloud.
- Install another scanner app. Check for watermarks, ads, scan limits and required accounts on the free tier before you rely on it.
- Scan in the browser. A web scanner needs no install and no account, and can keep every page on your phone.
That last option is Pocket Scan
Scan pages with your phone's camera, straighten and crop them, make them crisp in colour, grayscale or black-and-white, and save one PDF. No app to install, no account, no watermark, no scan count. Scans stay on your phone.
Pocket Scan has no text recognition (OCR) and no cloud sync: it makes clean PDFs, and you choose where to save them.
Practical tips
- If Lens is still installed, export the scans you want to keep now: there's no official way to reinstall it.
- Add Pocket Scan to your home screen from the browser menu so it opens like an app.
- For best results, scan on a dark surface in even light.
- Android Authority — Microsoft Lens retirement timeline
- Unstar — scanner apps compared (2026)
- Adobe Community — scan limit without a subscription
Microsoft Lens and OneDrive are trademarks of Microsoft. Harborlight and Pocket Scan are independent and not affiliated with them. Plans change; check each vendor's current page for the latest details.