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Office Lens Scanner App Review 2023

9 excellent ratings
Office Lens
Updated On 13 July, 2023

Welcome to the world of Microsoft Office Lens: the ultimate tool for document management and organization. Whether you’re a student, professional, or anyone who deals with paper documents regularly, Office Lens can revolutionize how you manage and organize your documents.

With Office Lens, you can capture and digitize any printed or handwritten document, whiteboard, or even a receipt and save it as a searchable PDF or editable Word, PowerPoint, or Excel file. The app’s advanced OCR technology ensures your scanned documents are accurate and editable.

Since its launch in 2015, Office Lens has been downloaded over 20 million times and used in more than 190 countries. In fact, users have saved over 100 million documents and whiteboards using the tool!

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore all the features and benefits of Microsoft Office Lens, including how to get started, how to use it for scanning and digitizing documents, and how to use it for business and education. We will also provide tips and tricks to get the most out of the app.

So why wait? Join the millions of satisfied Office Lens users and discover the potential for productivity and efficiency in your daily life. As former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer once said, “It is all about potential,” and Office Lens has the potential to unlock your productivity potential like never before.

Introduction

Microsoft Office Lens is a powerful mobile app that allows users to capture and digitize any printed or handwritten document, whiteboard, or receipt. Its advanced optical character recognition (OCR) technology converts scanned documents into searchable PDFs or editable Word, PowerPoint, or Excel files. The tool is perfect for anyone looking to simplify their document management and organization, as it offers a convenient and efficient way to save and store important documents.

Pros

  • User-friendly and intuitive
  • Advanced OCR technology
  • Supports various file formats to save and share documents
  • Seamless integration with Microsoft OneDrive
  • Available for free on iOS and Android platforms

Cons

  • Limited editing options
  • Unsuitable for those working on desktops or laptops
  • Inconvenient for those using non-Microsoft products
  • Restrictions on the size of the document that can be scanned
  • Might have concerns about privacy and data security

Performance at a Glance

To provide a comprehensive review of Microsoft Office Lens, we’ve compiled a table rating the app on various parameters, such as its ease of use, customer support, value for money, and functionality. It will help you decide whether or not the tool is worth your time and money.

Specifications

Microsoft Office Lens At A Glance

Our Verdict

Ease of Use

Office Lens is user-friendly and intuitive, making scanning and digitizing documents easy and effortless.

Customer Support

Microsoft offers excellent customer support for Office Lens users through various channels, including online documentation and support forums.

Value for Money

As a free app, Office Lens offers great value for money, making it an affordable option for anyone looking to manage their documents efficiently.

Functionality

Office Lens is a highly functional tool for document management and organization.

Features of Microsoft Office Lens

Microsoft Office Lens is a powerful mobile scanning app that easily digitizes any document, whiteboard, or receipt. It has various features that can make your document management and organization tasks more efficient. 

This table lists some of the most important features of Office Lens, including its OCR technology, file format support, and cloud integration.

Features

Details

Convert to PDF

Yes

Data Capture and Transfer

Yes

Document Conversion

Yes

Data Import & Export

Yes

Document Imaging

Yes

Image Editing

Yes

Text Editing

Yes

Text Extraction

Yes

Secure Data Storage

Yes

Third-party Integrations

Yes

Significant Features of Microsoft Office Lens

Document scanning

Microsoft Office Lens uses your smartphone’s camera to capture high-quality scans of documents, receipts, whiteboards, and more. It automatically enhances and crops the image to remove background noise and improve readability.

Image editing

Once the document is scanned, the tool allows you to adjust the image’s brightness, contrast, and color saturation to make it more legible. It also offers features like crop, rotate, and perspective correction.

Text extraction

Microsoft Office Lens uses OCR technology to extract text from images and convert them into editable text files. This feature is particularly useful for scanning printed documents, business cards, and handwritten notes.

Data capture and transfer

You can easily transfer scanned documents to other devices or cloud storage services like OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive. It also allows you to share scanned documents via email or messaging apps.

Document conversion

Microsoft Office Lens can convert scanned documents into various file formats, including PDF, Word, and PowerPoint. This allows you to edit and share them easily.

Data import and export

You can import images and PDF files from your device’s storage and convert them into editable documents. You can also export scanned documents in various file formats and share them.

Secure data storage

Microsoft Office Lens offers secure cloud storage options like OneDrive, where you can store and access your scanned documents from any device. This ensures the documents are safe and easily accessible.

Third-party integrations

Microsoft Office Lens integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It also supports integration with third-party apps like Adobe Acrobat and Slack, making it easier to share and collaborate on documents.

These technical features make Microsoft Office Lens a versatile and powerful tool for document scanning, editing, and sharing. Whether you need to scan receipts, whiteboards, or printed documents, it offers a wide range of features to make the process fast and easy.

How to Scan Printed Documents With Microsoft Office Lens?

Microsoft Office Lens is a free app that lets you scan printed documents using your smartphone’s camera. Here are the steps:

  • Download and install the Office Lens app from the App Store on your smartphone.
  • Open the app and choose the “Document” mode.
  • Hold your phone’s camera steady over the document you want to scan. The app will automatically detect and frame the document.
  • Make sure the document is well-lit and in focus. If not, tap the screen to adjust the camera settings.
  • Once the document is framed, tap the capture button to take the picture.
  • The app will automatically enhance the image by cropping and straightening it to improve readability.
  • If you need to adjust the image further, use the editing tools in the app to adjust the image’s brightness, contrast, and color saturation. 
  • Once you’re satisfied with the image, save it as a PDF or an image file. 
  • You can now share the scanned document via email or upload it to a cloud storage service like OneDrive or Dropbox.

With Office Lens, scanning printed documents is fast and easy. The app’s automatic document detection and image enhancement features make capturing high-quality scans of documents, receipts, and other printed materials simple. And with the app’s editing and sharing tools, you can easily adjust and share the scanned document. So, give it a try and start scanning your printed documents with ease!

How to Use Microsoft Office Lens Mobile Scanner?

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Office Lens:

Step 1: Download and install the app

Download and install the Microsoft Office Lens app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) on your mobile device.

Step 2: Open the app and grant permissions

Open the app and grant it necessary permissions, such as access to your camera, microphone, and storage.

Step 3: Choose the scanning mode

There are several scanning modes in Microsoft Office Lens: Whiteboard, Document, Business Card, and Photo. Choose the mode that best suits your needs.

Step 4: Position your document

Position your document within the camera frame to fit entirely within the borders. The app will automatically detect the document’s edges and crop it accordingly.

Step 5: Adjust the image settings

You can adjust the image settings by tapping the settings button, which looks like a gear icon. You can change the color mode, enhance the text, and choose the file format.

Step 6: Scan the document

Once you have adjusted the settings, tap the capture button, which looks like a camera icon. The app will take a picture of the document and save it to your device.

Step 7: Save, share, or export the document

After the scan is complete, you can save, share, or export the document in various formats. You can save it as a PDF or an image file, share it via email or messaging apps, or export it to OneNote or OneDrive.

Step 8: Organize and manage your scans

Microsoft Office Lens allows you to organize and manage your scans by creating and tagging folders. You can also search for scans by keywords and use the built-in OCR to extract text from scanned documents.

By following these simple steps, you can use Microsoft Office Lens mobile scanner to scan and manage your documents on the go.

How to Change the Text Preferences in Microsoft Office Lens?  

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to change the text preferences in the app:

Step 1: Open the app and choose the scanning mode

Open the Office Lens app and select the scanning mode you want to use. The available scanning modes are Whiteboard, Document, Business Card, and Photo.

Step 2: Position your document and capture the image

Position your document within the camera frame and capture the image by tapping the capture button, which looks like a camera icon.

Step 3: Access the image settings

After capturing the image, you will see a preview of the scanned document. To change the text preferences, tap on the image settings button, which looks like a gear icon in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Step 4: Adjust the text preferences

You can adjust the text preferences in the image settings menu by choosing the “Text Settings” option. Here are the available options:

  • Enhance: This option can enhance the text in the image to make it more readable.
  • Color Mode: You can choose between Color, Grayscale, or Black and White modes. This setting can help you get the best possible results depending on the type of document you’re scanning.
  • Paper Size: Choose the paper size you want to use when scanning the document. You can choose from A4, Letter, or Legal.
  • Page Orientation: You can choose between Portrait and Landscape orientation depending on the orientation of your document.
  • Crop: You can adjust the document’s borders to crop out any unwanted parts of the image.

Step 5: Apply the changes and save the document

After adjusting the text preferences, tap the “Save” button to apply the changes and save the document. You can save the document as a PDF or an image file.

Top Microsoft Office Lens Alternatives Comparison

While Microsoft Office Lens is a popular scanner app, the market has alternatives with similar features and functionalities. In this section, we’ll look at two popular alternatives to Office Lens: Adobe Scan and CamScanner. Adobe Scan is a powerful mobile scanning app that leverages Adobe’s advanced image processing technology to create high-quality scans. CamScanner, on the other hand, is a popular scanning app that has been around for a while and has a large user base. Compare the features, user interface, and pricing of these two apps to help you decide which one best fits your needs.

Features

Microsoft Office Lens

Adobe Scan

CamScanner

Price

Free

Free

Free (with ads) or Paid

Editing Tools

Basic

Yes

Yes

Cloud Storage

Yes (OneDrive)

Yes (Adobe Cloud)

Yes (Multiple Options)

Integrations

OneNote, Word, PowerPoint

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Sign

Dropbox, Box, Evernote, OneDrive

Multi-language Support

Yes

Yes

Yes

Platform Support

iOS, Android, Windows

iOS, Android

iOS, Android

Adobe Scan

Adobe Scan is a mobile scanning app developed by Adobe Systems, available for free on both iOS and Android devices. It uses advanced image processing technology to create high-quality scans of documents, receipts, whiteboards, and more. Some features of Adobe Scan include:

  • Automatic document detection and cropping
  • OCR technology to convert scanned images into editable text
  • Saves documents in PDF or JPG format and uploads them to Adobe Document Cloud
  • Features to enhance scanned images and improve their quality
  • Recognizes text in multiple languages

Adobe Scan is a powerful scanning app that offers many advanced features for free. However, some features like text recognition are only available with an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.

CamScanner

CamScanner is a popular mobile scanning app developed by INTSIG Information Co., Ltd. It is available on both iOS and Android devices. CamScanner allows users to scan and store documents, receipts, business cards, and more. Some features of its features include:

  • Automatic document detection and cropping
  • OCR technology to convert scanned images into editable text
  • Saves documents in PDF or JPG format and uploads them to the cloud
  • Ability to collaborate with others and share documents securely
  • Annotations and watermarks for scanned documents

CamScanner is a feature-rich scanning app that offers numerous functionalities for free. However, some features like cloud storage and OCR technology are only available with a premium subscription.

While Adobe Scan offers advanced image processing technology and text recognition, CamScanner offers collaboration and annotation tools. The choice between the two ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

Microsoft Office Lens is an exceptional document scanning app that delivers unparalleled convenience and functionality. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, it seamlessly integrates with the Microsoft Office suite, allowing for effortless digitization and organization of documents. The tool’s smart cropping and image enhancement capabilities ensure high-quality scans, while the OCR technology enables efficient text recognition and editing. Moreover, the app offers seamless integration with cloud storage platforms and easy sharing options, enhancing collaboration and productivity. Microsoft Office Lens is a valuable tool for individuals and professionals alike, providing a reliable and efficient solution for document scanning and management.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is Microsoft Office Lens secure?

Yes, Microsoft Office Lens is secure for scanning and saving your documents. The app uses Microsoft’s security protocols to protect your data, and all documents are saved to your personal OneDrive or SharePoint account, which are also highly secure. Microsoft is also committed to user privacy and has strict policies to protect user data.

  • Can I use Microsoft Office Lens with other Microsoft apps?

Yes, Microsoft Office Lens is designed to work seamlessly with other Microsoft apps. For example, you can scan a document with Office Lens and save it directly to OneNote, Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. This integration makes it easy to incorporate your scanned documents into your workflow.

  • Can I scan multiple pages into one document?

Yes, you can scan multiple pages into one document with Microsoft Office Lens. Tap the “Add” button in the scanning mode to scan additional pages to your document. Once you have scanned all the pages, you can save the document as a PDF or image file.

  • What types of documents can I scan with Microsoft Office Lens?

You can scan various documents with Microsoft Office Lens, including whiteboards, business cards, and receipts. The app is versatile and can adjust the settings to optimize the scan based on the type of document you are scanning.

  • Can Microsoft Office Lens recognize text?

Yes, Microsoft Office Lens has OCR technology that can recognize text in scanned documents. Once the text is recognized, you can copy and paste it into other applications or edit it directly within the app.

  • Can I use Microsoft Office Lens to scan business cards?

Yes, you can use Microsoft Office Lens to scan business cards. The app has a business card scanning mode that can automatically recognize and extract contact information from the card. This feature can save you time by eliminating the need to enter contact information into your contacts list manually.

Office Lens

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