How to scan a QR code online
- Choose Scan Image to upload a picture, drag one in, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V. Or choose Camera and allow access when your browser asks.
- Keep the whole square and its white border in view, or crop the image close to the code.
- Read the result on the right. Links, WiFi details and payments are explained and checked before you do anything with them.
Scanning on a phone without this page
On current iPhones and most Android phones you can simply open the Camera app and point it at the code. A banner or prompt appears with what the code contains. This page is most useful on a computer, or when the code is inside an image, a screenshot or a web page and you have nothing to point a phone at.
Scan a code from a screenshot or a saved image
If someone sends you a QR code as a picture, or it sits on a website, save the image or take a screenshot and use Scan Image. You can also copy the picture and paste it here with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac). On a laptop, the Camera tab uses the webcam.
Check before you open a scanned link
A QR code can hide where a link really goes, and a printed sticker can be pasted over a genuine code. So this page never opens anything for you. It shows the domain on its own, and warns you when a link:
- is shortened, so its destination is hidden
- uses international characters that can imitate another site
- contains a username or password before the domain, a known disguise
- goes to a numeric address instead of a named website
- is not encrypted (http instead of https)
Payment codes deserve a second look
UPI, PIX, Bitcoin and Bangla QR-style codes ask you to send money. The page reads out the recipient and amount, and checks the built-in checksum where the format has one. It cannot tell you who really owns the account, so confirm the name before you pay, especially for a code you were not expecting.
Why will my QR code not scan?
Most failures come from a short list of causes:
- The image is blurry or the code is very small. Use a larger, sharper picture.
- The white border around the code is cropped off. The code needs that empty margin to be found.
- There is glare on a screen or a glossy print. Tilt the surface or change the lighting.
- The colours are too pale or too close together. Codes need strong contrast.
- The code is damaged, folded or partly covered. Some damage is tolerated, but not all.
- The code holds a lot of data and looks very dense. Move closer, or use a higher-resolution image.
What this scanner can read
It reads standard QR codes and explains what they hold: website links, plain text, WiFi logins, contact cards, email and SMS, phone numbers, map locations, calendar events, and UPI, Bitcoin, PIX and Bangla QR-style payment codes. It does not read the striped barcodes printed on products.
Your images stay on your device
The picture or camera frame is drawn on a hidden canvas in your browser and read there. Nothing is uploaded and the camera is never recorded. Scan history is off unless you turn it on, and then it is stored in your browser only.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an app to scan a QR code?
No. Current iPhones and most Android phones can scan with the built-in camera app, and this page works in any modern browser on a phone or a computer.
Can I scan a QR code from a screenshot or a photo?
Yes. Upload the image, drag it onto the page, or paste it with Ctrl+V. Transparent PNGs work too.
Is it safe to scan a QR code?
Reading a code only gives you text. The risk is in what you do next, such as opening a link, paying, or joining a network. That is why this page explains the result and flags anything suspicious instead of opening it for you.
Can I scan with my laptop?
Yes. Choose Camera and allow access, and the code is read through your webcam. You can also scan a saved image instead.
Are my images or the results uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything is decoded in your browser, and nothing you scan is sent to a server.
Why does the camera ask for permission?
Browsers always ask before a site can use the camera. The video stays on your device and is never recorded or sent.