On an iPhone or iPad
- Open the Camera app and use the normal photo mode with the rear camera.
- Point it at the code so the whole code is on screen. You don’t need to press the shutter.
- A yellow QR icon or a banner with the link appears. Tap it to open the link, join the Wi‑Fi network or save the contact.
iPhones have scanned QR codes from the Camera app since iOS 11. There is also a dedicated Code Scanner that you can add to Control Centre in Settings. It opens straight into a scanner, with a torch button for dark rooms, and is handy for small or awkwardly placed codes.
On an Android phone
Android phones vary by maker, but one of these will work:
- The camera app. On most recent phones, including Pixel and Samsung, pointing the camera at a code shows the link on screen. Tap it to open.
- The quick settings tile. Swipe down from the top of the screen and look for a Scan QR code tile. If it isn’t there, tap the pencil icon to add it.
- Google Lens. Open the Google app or the Lens app, point it at the code, and tap the link that appears. This works on almost any Android phone, including older ones.
For Wi‑Fi codes there is one more option: open Settings → Wi‑Fi and tap the QR icon next to “Add network”.
Scanning a code that’s already on your phone
If the code is in a message, an email, a web page or a photo on the same phone, you can’t point the camera at it. Instead:
- iPhone: take a screenshot and open it in Photos. On recent versions of iOS, Live Text picks up the code: touch and hold it, or tap the Live Text button, and the link appears. The Google app’s Lens icon can also read a code from an image in your library.
- Android: open the screenshot in Google Photos and tap Lens. On phones with Circle to Search, long-press the home button or navigation bar and circle the code. You don’t even need a screenshot.
On a laptop or desktop, take a screenshot and paste it into the QR code scanner, which reads it in your browser and shows the content before anything opens.
What happens after you scan
A QR code only holds text. Your phone looks at how that text starts and offers a matching action:
- A web address opens in your browser.
- Wi‑Fi details offer to join the network.
- A contact card offers to save a new contact.
- Email, text message and phone codes open a new message or call, but never send or dial without you confirming.
- Anything else is shown as plain text.
Scanning on its own can’t install anything or change your settings. The only risk is where a link leads, so read the address in the banner before you tap. If it looks odd, the guide to spotting QR code scams shows what to look for.
When your camera won’t scan
If nothing happens at all, the scanner is probably switched off or you’re in the wrong mode:
- iPhone: check Settings → Camera and make sure the option to scan QR codes is turned on. Use Photo mode, not Portrait or Video.
- Samsung: open the camera, tap the settings cog and turn on Scan QR codes.
- Other Android phones: look for a Lens or QR option in the camera’s modes, or use the quick settings tile.
If the scanner is on but still struggles:
- Move back a little. Being too close is the most common cause. Phones can’t focus a few centimetres away.
- Wipe the lens. A fingerprint smear softens the whole image.
- Add light, or turn on the torch from the Code Scanner or Lens.
- Change the angle to get rid of glare from glossy paper or a screen.
- Zoom in on a small or distant code, such as one on a poster across the room.
- Hold steady for a second. The scanner needs a sharp frame.
If one code fails on every phone while others scan fine, the problem is the code itself: printed too small, too little contrast, or a missing margin. The guide on printing a QR code that scans explains how to fix it if it’s yours.
Do you need a QR scanner app?
Usually not. The built-in camera, Google Lens and Live Text cover almost every case. Many free scanner apps in app stores show ads, ask for permissions they don’t need, or send each scan through their own servers. If you do want a separate app, choose a well-known one and check its permissions. For codes on a computer, a browser-based scanner that runs locally, like the one on this site, needs no installation at all.