Scan a QR Code on iPhone

  1. 1

    Open the Camera app

    Open your standard iPhone Camera app — no special QR scanner needed. This works on iPhone 6 and later running iOS 11 or above.

  2. 2

    Point at the QR code

    Hold the camera steady and point it at the QR code. You do not need to take a photo — the camera scans automatically. Hold it about 15–30cm away.

  3. 3

    Tap the notification banner

    A yellow banner appears at the top of the screen showing the QR code's destination (usually a website link). Tap it to open the link.

Scan a QR Code on Android

  1. 4

    Open Camera and point at the code

    Most Android phones running Android 8 or later can scan QR codes directly in the camera app. Point the camera at the code and wait for a link to appear.

  2. 5

    If Camera does not scan — use Google Lens

    Tap the Google Lens icon in the Camera app (if available) or open Google Lens directly. Point at the QR code and tap the link that appears.

Scan a QR Code on a Computer

  1. 6

    Take a screenshot of the QR code

    If the QR code is on your screen, take a screenshot of it.

  2. 7

    Upload to Google Lens or a QR reader site

    Go to lens.google.com → upload the screenshot → Lens reads the QR code and shows the link. Alternatively, use qr-code-generator.com/qr-code-scanner or any QR scanner website.

QR code not scanning?Make sure there is enough light on the code. Hold the camera still — movement blurs the code. Ensure the entire QR code is in frame with some white space around it. Clean your camera lens. If a QR code is very small, move closer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Generally yes, but treat QR codes like links — they can point to malicious websites. Before tapping a QR code link, check that the URL shown looks legitimate. Be cautious of QR codes stuck over official ones in public places (a known scam). Never scan a QR code from an unexpected email or text message.
Yes — many free tools generate QR codes for websites, WiFi passwords, contact information and more. Try qr-code-generator.com or Google's QR code generator (search "QR code generator"). No account needed for basic codes.