How to Scan a QR Code on Any Device

Scanning on iPhone (iOS 11 and later)

Open the Camera app — not a third-party scanner, just the standard camera that came with your iPhone. Point it at the QR code. Keep the code within the viewfinder. Within a second or two, a notification banner or yellow frame appears at the top of the screen showing the URL or information inside the code. Tap that notification to open it. You do not need to press the shutter button. If scanning does not trigger, go to Settings, then Camera, and make sure Scan QR Codes is toggled on. This setting exists on iOS 11 and later, which covers the vast majority of iPhones in use today.

Scanning on Android

Most Android phones running Android 9 or later support QR code scanning directly from the built-in camera app. Open Camera, point it at the code, and wait a moment. A popup link or action bar should appear at the bottom of the screen — tap it to open. If your Android camera does not support QR codes natively, open Google Lens instead (the Lens icon appears in your camera app or the Google search bar). Point it at the code and tap the result. Google Lens is available on all Android phones with Google services.

Scanning on a tablet

The process is identical to a phone. iPad uses the Camera app. Android tablets use the same camera or Google Lens approach described above. The larger screen makes framing the QR code easy — just make sure the entire code is visible in the viewfinder with no part cut off.

Scanning on a Mac or Windows computer

Most QR codes are designed for mobile use, but there are situations where you need to scan one from a desktop. If you are viewing a QR code on your screen and want to open it on your computer, the easiest method is to take a screenshot and run it through a QR code reader. On Mac, Google Lens in Chrome can scan QR codes from images — right-click an image on a webpage and select Search image with Google. On Windows, the Camera app supports QR code scanning on Windows 11. The Snipping Tool and the Bing Visual Search can also process QR code images.

What to do if scanning fails

Move closer to the code or zoom in slightly. Make sure the whole code is visible with a small margin around it. Ensure there is enough light — QR codes on dark screens or under poor lighting are harder to read. If the code is damaged or creased, try to flatten it or clean the surface. Check whether your phone's camera QR scan setting is enabled. As a last resort, any free QR scanner app from your app store will read codes reliably.