PlainCopyGuide
A Microsoft Lens Alternative for iPhone
Short answer
Microsoft retired the Lens app in early 2026, and new scans stopped on March 9, 2026. PlainCopy is a scanner for iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later) that is free to scan and export, with no watermark and no account. Every scan is a plain PDF in your Files, ready to email.
Updated
What Happened to Microsoft Lens?
Microsoft retired Lens in early 2026. New scans stopped on March 9, 2026, and Microsoft recommends the scanner in the OneDrive app. PlainCopy can import PDFs you already have in Files.
How Does PlainCopy Scan?
The Apple scanner inside PlainCopy finds the edges and captures pages on its own, as many as you need. B&W is the default filter. Each scan is a PDF in iCloud Drive › PlainCopy (or On My iPhone › PlainCopy), named on your phone from its merchant and type. Share › Email attaches the PDF and uses the document name as the subject. All of that is free, with no watermark and no account.
| Task | In PlainCopy |
|---|---|
| Scan a multi-page document | Scan, keep going, Save |
| Clean black and white page | B&W filter, the default |
| Keep the PDF on the phone | iCloud Drive › PlainCopy, or On My iPhone |
| Email the scan with a clear file name | Share › Email, name as the subject |
| Save to OneDrive | Share › Files › OneDrive, or Send To (Pro) |
| Whiteboard, business card to contacts | Not in PlainCopy |
Can I Save Scans to OneDrive?
Yes. With the OneDrive app installed, Share › Files lets you pick a OneDrive folder. With Pro, add that folder as a Send To destination and every scan goes there in one tap, or automatically by tag.
What Does PlainCopy Not Do?
PlainCopy has no whiteboard or business card mode, no Office integration, and no Windows, Mac or Android app. It is an iPhone and iPad scanner with a library of folders and tags, size settings and Recently Deleted, and with Pro, searchable OCR PDFs, filing suggestions and Send To.
Questions from Lens Users
Is PlainCopy made by Microsoft?
No. PlainCopy is made by an independent developer and has no connection to Microsoft.
Can I import my old Lens PDFs?
Yes. Import from Files puts them in your library, where you can rename, tag and share them, and merge them with Pro.
Is PlainCopy free?
Scanning, editing, naming and exporting are free, with no watermark. Pro is optional.
Scan Your Next Page on iPhone
Free to scan and export. No watermark, no account.