QR Code Scanner
Scan a QR code with your camera, or read one from a screenshot or photo. You see exactly what the code holds, including where a link really goes, before anything is opened. The scanner runs in your browser, so your camera and images never leave your device.
Point your camera at a QR code. The video stays on your device and is never recorded or uploaded.
Drag and drop a screenshot or photo here, or
You can also paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac). JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, SVG, and HEIC. Nothing is uploaded.
What the QR code scanner does
A QR code is a square pattern that stores a short piece of text, most often a web link. This scanner reads that text from your camera or from an image and shows it to you in full.
It also works out what kind of code it is. A Wi-Fi code shows the network and password, a contact code shows the name and number, and a link shows the site it leads to. You choose what to do next: open it, copy it, or save it.
Why use our QR code scanner
- ·No app to install. It works in the browser on phones, tablets, and computers.
- ·Reads screenshots. Paste or drop an image to read a code that is on your own screen.
- ·Check before you open. Links are never opened for you, and suspicious ones are flagged.
- ·Many codes at once. Finds up to 10 codes in one image and numbers each one.
- ·Private. Camera frames and images are read on your device and never uploaded.
How to scan a QR code online
- 1
Pick the camera or an image
Use the Camera tab to scan a code in front of you, or the Image tab to read a screenshot or photo. You can also paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V.
- 2
Point at the code or add the image
Hold the code inside the square on screen until it reads, or drop the image onto the box. Images can hold more than one code, and each one is outlined.
- 3
Check what the code contains
The scanner shows the full text and what kind of code it is. For a link, it shows the site it goes to and warns about anything suspicious before you open it.
- 4
Open, copy, or save it
Open the link, copy a Wi-Fi password, save a contact card or calendar event, or copy the text. Nothing is opened until you choose to.
What a QR code can contain
Every QR code holds plain text. Special formats in that text tell a phone to treat it as a link, a Wi-Fi login, or a contact. These are the formats the scanner recognizes:
| Type | The text starts with | What the scanner shows |
|---|---|---|
| Link | https://example.com | The site it goes to, any warnings, and an Open link button |
| Wi-Fi | WIFI:T:WPA;S:Home;P:secret;; | The network name, password, and security type, each with a copy button |
| Contact card | BEGIN:VCARD or MECARD: | Name, phone, email, company, and address, plus a .vcf file to save |
mailto: or MATMSG: | The address, subject, and message, with a button to write the email | |
| Phone and text message | tel: and SMSTO: or sms: | The number and message, with Call or Send text buttons |
| Calendar event | BEGIN:VEVENT | The event name, times, and place, plus an .ics file to add it |
| Location | geo:51.5007,-0.1246 | The coordinates and a link to open them in Google Maps |
| Two-factor setup | otpauth://totp/... | The service and account, with a warning to keep the code private |
| Anything else | Plain text, or a link for another app | The text as it is, ready to copy. App links are never opened |
How to spot a fake QR code link
Scammers print their own QR codes and stick them over real ones on parking meters, posters, and restaurant tables, or send them in emails that ask you to "confirm" an account. The code itself cannot harm your device. The danger is the page it opens. The scanner checks every link for these warning signs:
- ·Text before an @ sign. A link like https://yourbank.com@other-site.example goes to other-site.example. The part before the @ is only there to fool you, so the scanner names the real site.
- ·Look-alike letters. Site names written with letters from other alphabets can look exactly like a well-known name. These show up as an address starting with xn--, and the scanner flags them.
- ·Short links. Links from services like bit.ly and tinyurl.com hide where they really go. The scanner tells you the destination is hidden, so you can decide whether to open it.
- ·Bare IP addresses and http. A link to a number like 192.168.1.1 instead of a name, or a page without https, is flagged. Never type a password or card number into a page reached this way.
No warning does not prove a site is safe. If a code asks you to sign in or pay, go to the company's site by typing its address yourself instead.
Why a QR code will not scan
The code is too small in the picture. Move the camera closer, or crop a photo so the code fills more of it. Each small square in the code needs to be several pixels wide to read.
Blur, glare, or low light. Hold the camera steady, tilt a glossy surface away from the light, and add light in a dark room. A screenshot always reads better than a photo of a screen.
Part of the code is missing. All three large corner squares must be in view. A code that is torn, folded, or covered may have lost too much to recover.
Low contrast. Codes in pale colors, or on a busy background, can be hard to read. Light codes on a dark background are fine: the scanner checks for those too.
It is not a QR code. Product barcodes, Data Matrix codes on packaging, and Aztec codes on some tickets look similar but use different formats that this tool does not read.
How to scan a QR code on iPhone and Android without this site
Most phones can read a QR code with the built-in camera. On an iPhone, open the Camera app, point it at the code, and tap the link that appears. On Android, the camera app on most phones does the same, and Google Lens works on the rest.
This scanner is useful for what phone cameras cannot do well: reading a code that is on the same screen, reading a code on a computer with no phone nearby, and showing the full link and Wi-Fi password as text you can copy.
When to use an online QR code reader
- ·Anyone with a QR code on their screen. A code in an email, PDF, or web page cannot be scanned with the same phone or computer it is shown on. Take a screenshot and paste it here instead.
- ·People who want to check a link first. Codes on parking meters, posters, and letters can be fake stickers that lead to scam sites. Reading the code here shows the full address before you visit it.
- ·Guests who need the Wi-Fi password. A Wi-Fi QR code on a router, menu, or card holds the password as text. The scanner shows it, so you can type it into a laptop or game console that has no camera.
- ·People making QR codes. Before printing a code on flyers or packaging, scan the file you made to confirm it reads and points to the right place.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I scan a QR code from a screenshot or image?
- Open the Image tab and drop the screenshot or photo onto the box, or press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac) to paste it. The scanner finds every QR code in the image, outlines it, and shows what it contains.
- How do I scan a QR code with my laptop camera?
- Open the Camera tab, click Start camera, and allow camera access when your browser asks. Hold the code inside the square on screen, about 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) away. The result appears as soon as the code is read.
- How do I scan a QR code that is on my phone screen?
- Your phone's camera cannot point at its own screen, so take a screenshot instead. Then open this page, switch to the Image tab, and choose the screenshot from your photos.
- How do I see the Wi-Fi password in a QR code?
- Scan the Wi-Fi code with the camera or from a photo. The scanner shows the network name, the password, and the security type, each with a copy button. A web page cannot connect you to the network, so paste the password into your device's Wi-Fi settings.
- Why won't my QR code scan?
- The most common causes are a code that is too small or far away, a blurry photo, glare on a glossy surface, low contrast between the code and its background, or part of the code being cut off. Move closer, add light, or crop the image so the code fills more of it.
- Is it safe to scan a QR code?
- Reading a code is safe. The risk is opening what it points to. This scanner never opens a link by itself. It shows the real site name and warns about short links, look-alike site names, bare IP addresses, and pages without https, so you can decide first.
- Can it read more than one QR code in an image?
- Yes. In the Image tab it finds up to 10 codes in one picture, outlines each one with a number, and lists their contents in the same order. The camera reads one code at a time.
- Can it scan barcodes?
- No. This tool reads QR codes, including Micro QR and rMQR codes. It does not read product barcodes (EAN, UPC), Data Matrix, Aztec, or PDF417 codes.
- Why does the camera not start?
- Your browser may have blocked camera access for this site. Allow it in the site settings next to the address bar and try again. Another app, such as a video call, can also hold the camera. If you cannot use the camera, take a photo of the code and use the Image tab.
- Are my images or camera video uploaded?
- No. The QR code reader runs inside your browser, so camera frames and images are read on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server, recorded, or stored.