To scan a QR code, open your phone's camera app and point it at the code. On a modern iPhone or Android phone, a prompt should appear on screen for you to tap, and no separate app is needed. This guide also covers what to do when a code will not scan and how to stay safe.
Make my QR code ↑Open the camera app, the same one you use for photos, and point it at the code. Keep the whole square inside the frame.
When the phone recognizes the code, it shows the link as a small banner or notification. Tap it to open the page. The look differs by phone brand and software version, so watch for a prompt near the code rather than a specific button. If nothing appears, code reading may be switched off in your camera settings, or an older phone may need a scanner app.
A failed scan usually has a simple fix.
Most QR codes hold a web link, but a code can also hold a Wi-Fi login, a contact card or a text message. Your phone usually shows what it will do before you confirm, so read that prompt before tapping. When it is a web address, does it match the business or person you expected? Watch for odd spelling or extra words.
Be careful with a code that looks like a sticker placed over another code, on a parking sign, poster or table. If it looks pasted on, do not scan it. Never type a password, card number or other private details into a page you reached from a code unless you are sure it is the real site. When in doubt, type the company's address yourself.
You cannot point a phone at its own screen, so use a second device. If the code is on a computer or tablet, aim your camera at the screen from a little distance, turn the brightness up, and avoid glare.
If the code is a screenshot or downloaded image on your phone, many phones can read it from the photo itself, often through a prompt that appears when you open the picture. This varies by phone and version. If yours cannot, show the image on another screen and scan that.
Open the camera app and point it at the code. A link banner should appear on screen. Tap it to open the page. If nothing happens, try better light or a different distance, and check that code scanning is on in your camera settings.
Open the camera app and hold it steady on the code. Most current Android phones show a link suggestion you can tap. Some older or customized phones handle scanning differently, so check your phone maker's help pages if nothing happens.
Not on a modern iPhone or Android phone, because the built-in camera app reads QR codes. Very old phones or software versions may need a scanner app. Choose one carefully, and install it only from your phone's official app store.
Usually, if you stay alert. A code can hold a web link, a Wi-Fi login, a contact card or a text message, and your phone normally shows what it will do before you confirm, so read that prompt first. Be wary of stickers over other codes, and never enter passwords or card details unless you are sure the site is genuine.
Yes. Aim your phone camera at a computer screen from a short distance. For a screenshot, many phones can read the code from the saved photo, or you can show the image on another screen and scan that.
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