You probably do not need an app
Every iPhone from the last several years and almost every current Android phone can read QR codes with the built-in camera. Third-party scanner apps used to be necessary; today many of them mainly exist to show ads or collect data. Try the built-in options below first.
iPhone and iPad
With the Camera app
- Open Camera and use the rear camera in Photo mode.
- Point it at the code so the whole code is in view. You do not need to tap or take a picture.
- A yellow banner appears showing what the code contains — usually a website's domain. Read it, then tap to open.
iOS has read QR codes in the Camera app since iOS 11. If nothing happens, open Settings › Camera and make sure QR code scanning is switched on.
With the Code Scanner
iOS also has a dedicated scanner in Control Centre. If it is not there, add it in Settings › Control Centre (or, on newer versions of iOS, by editing Control Centre directly). The Code Scanner works in low light with the torch and opens results in a lightweight preview.
What the iPhone does with each type
| Code type | What happens |
|---|---|
| Website | Opens in Safari (or your default browser) |
| WiFi | "Join network" prompt — no password typing |
| Contact (vCard) | Opens a pre-filled new contact |
| Calendar event | "Add to Calendar" preview |
| Phone, SMS, email | Opens the dialler, Messages or Mail with details filled in |
| Plain text | Shows the text, with options to copy or search |
Android
Android is more varied because every manufacturer ships its own camera app, but one of these will work on almost any current phone.
Built-in camera. On Pixel phones and most recent Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and Xiaomi devices, open the camera, point it at the code, and tap the link that appears. On Samsung phones, check that Scan QR codes is enabled in the camera's settings.
Quick Settings tile. Many recent Android versions have a Scan QR code tile. Swipe down from the top of the screen; if you do not see it, tap the edit (pencil) icon to add it.
Google Lens. Works on virtually every Android phone. Open the Google app or Google Lens and point it at the code, or tap the Lens icon in the Google search bar.
From a screenshot or photo
You have a QR code in a screenshot, an email attachment or a photo, and you are on the same phone. You cannot point your camera at your own screen, but you can still read it.
- iPhone: open the image in Photos and touch and hold the code — recent versions of iOS detect it and offer to open the link. Alternatively, open the image in the Google app with Google Lens.
- Android: open the image in Google Photos and tap Lens, or use the Lens button in the Gallery app on Samsung devices.
On a computer
- Windows 11: the built-in Camera app can scan QR codes with a webcam; look for the barcode or QR mode in its settings.
- Any computer with Chrome: right-click an image containing a QR code and choose Search with Google Lens. This also works for codes on web pages and in PDFs open in the browser.
- Mac: there is no QR scanner in the Mac camera app. Use Google Lens in Chrome for images, or scan the code with your iPhone.
When a code will not scan
Work through these in order — the first few solve most problems.
- Clean the camera lens. A fingerprint smear is the most common cause of a phone that "will not scan anything."
- Move back. Holding the phone too close is more common than too far. The whole code, including some white space around it, needs to be in frame.
- Fix the light. Avoid glare on glossy surfaces by tilting the phone slightly; in the dark, use the torch.
- Hold steady for a second. Phones need a sharp frame; moving while focusing blurs the small squares.
- Check the scanning setting is on (Settings › Camera on iPhone; camera settings on Android).
- Try Google Lens. It is more tolerant of low contrast, odd colours and damage than some built-in camera apps.
If none of that works, the problem may be the code rather than your phone:
- Light code on a dark background. Inverted codes are not supported by every scanner.
- Too small or too dense. A code packed with data and printed small has modules too fine for the camera. See the QR code size guide.
- Cropped margin. The blank border is part of the code.
- Damaged or partly covered. Error correction can only rebuild so much — see error correction levels.
Scan safely
Before you tap through, read the address your phone shows. Be wary of codes on stickers stuck over signs or parking meters, and of codes in emails asking you to log in or pay. Our guide to QR code scams explains what to look for.
Frequently asked questions
How do I scan a QR code with my iPhone?
Open the Camera app, point it at the code and tap the banner that appears. No app or photo is needed. You can also use the Code Scanner in Control Centre.
How do I scan a QR code on Android without an app?
Open your camera and point it at the code. If nothing appears, use the Scan QR code tile in Quick Settings, or Google Lens, which is built into the Google app on almost every Android phone.
How do I scan a QR code from a screenshot?
On iPhone, open the screenshot in Photos and touch and hold the code, or use Google Lens in the Google app. On Android, open it in Google Photos and tap Lens.
Can I scan a QR code on my laptop?
Yes. Windows 11's Camera app can scan codes with a webcam, and on any computer you can right-click an image in Chrome and choose Search with Google Lens.
Why won't my phone scan a QR code?
Most often a dirty lens, holding the phone too close, or glare. Clean the lens, step back so the whole code and its border are visible, and tilt to remove reflections. If it still fails, try Google Lens, which copes better with low-contrast and damaged codes.
Do I need internet to scan a QR code?
Not to read it. Reading happens on the phone. You need a connection only if the code points to a website. WiFi, contact, text and calendar codes work completely offline.
Further reading
- Do QR codes expire? — A QR code itself never expires — but a dynamic code can die when a subscription ends. How to tell which kind you have, and how to get an editable code without the risk.
- GS1 Digital Link: QR codes on products, explained — How GS1 Digital Link puts a product's GTIN, batch and expiry into a QR code that both checkouts and phones can read, what Sunrise 2027 means for brands, and how to build one correctly.
- How QR codes work, from pattern to payload — A clear technical walkthrough of a QR code: the finder and timing patterns, how text becomes bits in each encoding mode, Reed–Solomon error correction, masking, and how a phone reads it.
- QR code design: how to customise without breaking it — Which colours, logos, dot styles and print finishes keep a branded QR code scannable — with the contrast numbers, logo limits and pre-print checklist designers need.