How to scan a QR code
Choose an image or start the camera
Select a saved QR image, drag it into the scanner or paste a supported image from your clipboard. For a physical code, start the camera and grant camera access if you want to use that option.
Keep the whole code visible
Include the full square and its blank border. Use a sharp image with one clear code, or hold the camera steady at a distance where it can focus.
Read the result before acting
Inspect the decoded text or address. Copy the result if you need it, or choose the available action only after checking it. The scanner does not automatically navigate to a decoded website.
Scan a QR code on the same phone
When a code arrives as a screenshot or saved image, you do not need a second phone to photograph the screen. Choose that image from your device. If the code is inside a PDF, first capture or export a clear image of the code, including its border. This scanner reads supported image files rather than opening PDF documents.
Camera access is optional
A laptop camera, phone camera and selected image are alternative inputs. If camera permission is declined or the browser cannot start it, select a saved image instead. Check browser permissions if you later want to enable the camera. The tool stops the camera when you use its stop control; leave no camera feed running when you are finished.
What is processed locally
The selected image, camera frames and decoded content are processed in the browser. The scanner uses a native reader where available and a bundled QR decoder as a fallback. This does not mean a website you choose to open is private: the destination receives its own visit and has its own data practices.
A decoded link is not a safety certificate
Read the domain and consider whether the destination matches the sign or message. A short redirect link may hide the final destination until it is followed. We do not analyse websites for malware, verify a business or guarantee that a link is safe. For an unexpected payment or login request, use the organisation’s known app or website.
Separate recognition from access problems
If a URL appears but the page asks for permission, the QR has been decoded. Fixing the image will not change a private file’s access settings. If nothing is detected, try the original export, better focus, a less reflective surface or a crop that keeps the full quiet zone. The file-size limit is 25 MB, and the browser must be able to read the image format.
Example: checking a QR in a draft flyer
Before sending a flyer to print, export a clear preview of its QR and select it in the scanner. Compare the result with the address in your approved artwork. This catches a wrong destination without opening it automatically. It is still only an image check: print a proof and scan that too, because tiny modules, paper finish and glare can create problems absent from the original file.
Illustrative workflow, not a customer case study.Check before you share
- The displayed information matches what the sign promises.
- Any website domain is inspected before opening it.
- A print-bound code is also tested from the final physical proof.