Scan a QR code from an image or screenshot

How to scan a QR code from a picture

You have three ways to give the scanner an image:

• Choose a file. Tap the button and pick a photo or screenshot from your device.
• Drop it. Drag an image from your desktop or another window onto the box.
• Paste it. Copy an image, or take a screenshot to your clipboard, then press Ctrl+V on Windows or Cmd+V on a Mac.

The code is read in your browser. The image is not uploaded, and nothing is saved. The scanner does not use your camera, so it works on a laptop or desktop with no webcam. If you want to scan a printed code with your phone camera instead, see how to scan a QR code.

What the result means

A QR code is just stored text. The scanner works out what kind of text it is and tells you in plain words.

• Opens a website. You see the website’s name in large letters, then the full link below it. Check the name first. It is the part scammers try to fake.
• Joins a WiFi network. You see the network name and its security type. If the network has no password, the scanner says so, because anyone nearby can see what you send over an open network. To make one for your own guests, see the WiFi QR code for Airbnb guide.
• Writes an email. You see the address it would write to.
• Calls a phone number. You see the number.
• Sends a text message. You see the number and the message. The scanner reminds you to check the number, since texts to short premium numbers can cost money.
• Saves a contact. You see the name on the contact card.
• Contains text. Plain text is shown as it is.

For a web link you get two buttons: Open and Copy. For anything else, such as WiFi, phone or SMS codes, there is no Open button. You can copy what the code contains and use it yourself. A link of an unusual type is flagged, and you should not open it unless you know what it is.

Risky link warnings: what we check

Before you open a web link, the scanner looks for common warning signs and lists any it finds:

• No https. The link uses plain http, so the connection is not encrypted.
• A bare number address. The link points to an IP address like 203.0.113.7 instead of a named website. Real businesses rarely do this.
• Lookalike letters. The name uses letters from another alphabet that look like normal ones (punycode). A fake site can look almost exactly like the real one.
• An @ trick. Text before an @ sign in a link can make it look like it goes somewhere it does not.
• Short links. Links from bit.ly and similar services hide where they really go until they open.
• Very long links. A long link can bury the real destination.
• App or program downloads. Links that end in .apk, .exe or similar download software. Only install apps from your app store.

These checks catch common warning signs. They cannot prove a link is safe. A link with no warnings can still lead to a fake login page. Trust the code only if you trust where you found it. Our guide on whether it is safe to scan QR codes covers what to look for on stickers, parking meters and letters.

Scan from your photos on iPhone or Android without a tool

Your phone may already read codes in saved images.

• iPhone. Open the photo or screenshot in the Photos app. When the code is detected, you can tap it to see and open the link.
• Android. Open the image in Google Lens, or in the Google Photos app with Lens, and it will read the code.

These are quick, but they often jump straight to opening the link. Use this scanner when you want to read the full address and see warnings before anything opens.

Why a QR code image will not scan

If the scanner cannot find a code, the image is usually the problem:

• Blurry or small. Crop close to the code, or use a sharper photo.
• Cut off. All four corners of the code must be in the picture, with a little empty border around it.
• Low contrast or glare. Pale codes, dark backgrounds and reflections can hide the squares.
• A photo of a screen. Screens can add lines and blur. A screenshot works better.
• Damaged print. Torn, faded or wrinkled codes may be unreadable.

If a code you made yourself will not scan anywhere, see why a QR code is not scanning for fixes on the design side. Need to make one instead? Read how to make a QR code.