--- title: "Microsoft Lens alternatives for scanning on iPhone" description: "Replace Microsoft Lens with Notes, OneDrive or Dokus on iPhone. Compare where scans are saved and check the features you need before moving your files." canonical: "https://dokus.app/en-in/microsoft-lens-alternative-iphone/" lang: "en-IN" category: "iPhone" reviewed: "2026-11-03" app_store: "https://apps.apple.com/in/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709" translations: en: "https://dokus.app/microsoft-lens-alternative-iphone/" en-IN: "https://dokus.app/en-in/microsoft-lens-alternative-iphone/" de: "https://dokus.app/de/microsoft-lens-alternative-iphone/" ja: "https://dokus.app/ja/microsoft-lens-%E4%BB%A3%E6%9B%BF/" zh-Hant: "https://dokus.app/zh-tw/microsoft-lens-%E6%9B%BF%E4%BB%A3%E6%96%B9%E6%A1%88/" --- # Microsoft Lens alternatives for scanning on iPhone Notes can replace Microsoft Lens for ordinary document scans on iPhone without another download. Microsoft recommends OneDrive, which saves scans to OneDrive rather than locally; Dokus suits documents you want to keep organised and protected on your iPhone. Lens no longer creates new scans. Choose its replacement by what happens after capture: sending a college form today, filing a document in OneDrive, or keeping a rental agreement you will need again. ## Choose where your next scan should live | Your main need | Where to start | What to check | |---|---|---| | Scan without installing another app | Notes | The scan stays in a note; check the copy you share. | | Save directly to Microsoft storage | OneDrive | Microsoft's recommended replacement saves to OneDrive, not locally. | | Keep reusable documents together behind a biometric lock | Dokus | The free app holds five documents on new installations. | We make Dokus. These are different workflows, so the most useful replacement depends on which one you need. ## Try a scan in Notes first Follow [Apple India's scanning instructions](https://support.apple.com/en-in/108963): open a note, tap Attachment, then Scan Documents. Capture the paper and adjust its corners if needed. Add further pages before tapping Done. Open the scan and check its edges, small print and page order before sending it. Try a representative document first, rather than moving your whole collection before checking the result. Dokus scans documents and keeps the copies you use again together behind Face ID, ready to open or share from your iPhone. 4.8 out of 5 stars [Free on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/in/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709) ## What happened to your old Lens scans? [Microsoft's retirement notice](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lens/retirement-of-microsoft-lens) says Lens left the app stores on 9 February 2026 and stopped creating scans after 9 March 2026. Existing scans remain accessible when Lens is still installed and signed into the last active account. Before deleting Lens, find the files you need and save accessible copies elsewhere. Installing another scanner does not automatically migrate them. Microsoft recommends OneDrive. To scan there, open the app, tap the plus button, choose Scan photo and save to the intended OneDrive location. Microsoft's notice says this scanning workflow cannot save scans locally on the device. ## Keep repeat-use documents in Dokus A PAN copy, an insurance document or a tenancy agreement may come up repeatedly. In Dokus, scan the paper or import the file, check it, give it a recognisable name and put it in a suitable folder. Keep different family members' documents clearly separated so you can choose the right copy quickly. Documents stored on the device open offline. Face ID or Touch ID protects access, and synchronisation through your own iCloud is optional. There is no Dokus account to create. When sharing, you can add a watermark, hide selected areas, compress the copy or choose PDF/JPG. Check what the recipient accepts before altering a copy. Your stored document stays unchanged. The free app holds five documents for new installations. Dokus Plus removes that cap and adds expiry reminders. A free shared copy carries a Dokus banner below its content; Plus lets you switch it off. Combining separately stored documents into one PDF or ZIP also requires Plus. Scanning several pages as one document is a different operation. For an issuer-provided file, preserve that file as well: photographing it again does not improve it. See [DigiLocker issued documents versus uploaded scans](https://dokus.app/en-in/digilocker-issued-documents-and-uploads/) when an Indian recipient asks for an official digital document. ## Check the Lens feature you depended on - For a photo already in your gallery, follow [turning document photos into scans](https://dokus.app/en-in/scan-documents-from-photos/). A camera-only workflow expects paper in front of you. - For several paper pages, use the [multipage PDF walkthrough](https://dokus.app/en-in/scan-multiple-pages-into-one-pdf/) and inspect the saved file. - For editable Word output, OCR or a specific Microsoft workflow, test that exact capability. A picture inside a PDF does not automatically provide it. - For a one-off image-to-PDF conversion, use the [conversion tool](https://dokus.app/en-in/aadhaar-pan-to-pdf/) when the image is already clear. [Keep the documents you need again in Dokus](/#documents), beginning with one scan you can successfully open and share. ## Common questions ### What is Microsoft's recommended replacement for Lens? Microsoft recommends OneDrive's scanner. Its scanning workflow saves to OneDrive rather than locally on the device. ### Can I replace Lens without another app download? Yes. Notes has a built-in document scanner on iPhone. The scan stays inside the note, and you can check it before sharing a copy. ### Will installing a replacement move my previous Lens scans? No. Check your existing scans and save accessible copies before removing Lens. A replacement scanner does not automatically import your old collection. ### Is Dokus free as a document scanner? Scanning and ordinary document sharing are included, with a five-document storage limit for new installations. Dokus Plus removes the limit and adds features such as expiry reminders and combining separate documents into a PDF or ZIP. ## Sources Reviewed on 3 November 2026 - [Microsoft: Retirement of Microsoft Lens](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lens/retirement-of-microsoft-lens) - [Apple India: Scan documents in Notes](https://support.apple.com/en-in/108963)