How to scan a QR code from an image
- Tap Choose an image and pick a photo or screenshot from your device.
- It's read straight away. The reader tries hard with photos where the code is small, slightly tilted or part of a bigger picture.
- See what's inside: a link with an Open button, a Wi-Fi password to copy, a contact to save, or the text.
- To read another, tap Photo in the result sheet, or Close when you're done.
Good uses
- A QR code someone sent you in a message or email
- A screenshot of a code on your own phone screen, which your camera can't scan
- Codes on tickets, boarding passes and PDFs saved as pictures
- Checking a Wi-Fi QR code's password from a photo
What it reads
| Code | What you see |
|---|---|
| QR code with a link | The address and an Open button (nothing opens until you tap it) |
| Wi-Fi QR code | Network name, password with a Copy password button, and the security type |
| Contact (vCard) QR code | Name, phone, email and more, with Save contact |
| Event QR code | Event name, times and place, with Add to calendar |
| Email, phone and SMS codes | The address or number with an Email, Call or Text button |
| Product barcodes: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E (and book ISBNs) | The number and its type, with Copy and Search the web |
| Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF, Codabar | The text or number in the barcode, with Copy |
| Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec | The text inside, with Copy (and Open for links) |
Tips
- Screenshots read best. For photos, the code should be sharp and fill a fair part of the picture: crop or zoom in if it doesn't read.
- Any picture your browser can open works: JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF and photos from your phone's library.
- Only one code is read per image. If a picture has several, crop it to the one you want.
How it works
Where the browser has its own barcode reader (Chrome on Android and Mac) the app uses it. Elsewhere, including Safari on iPhone and Mac and Firefox, a small open-source reader (ZXing) loads the first time you open the scanner. Either way, the camera picture and your photos are read in this browser tab: nothing is uploaded, and the camera stops as soon as you close the scanner.
Your last 12 scans are listed under Recent scans on this device until you clear them.
Questions
How do I scan a QR code from a screenshot?
Tap Choose an image, pick the screenshot, and the result appears. This is the easy way to read a code that's on your own phone screen.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The image is read in this browser tab on your device and isn't sent anywhere.
Why won't my picture scan?
Usually the code is too blurry or too small in the picture. Crop closer to the code, or take a sharper photo with the whole code in view.