How To Scan a QR Code on any Device | A Quick Guide

A QR (Quick Response) code is a type of barcode that allows a phone to quickly access a website, payment details, or perhaps a digital business card. They are found on menus, banking apps, and parking meters—in fact, in too many places to list.

QR codes are so useful, you might wish you could make them for yourself, and you can using the QuillBot free QR code generator.

However, they’re not much use if you don’t know how to scan them, so here’s a quick guide to how to scan a QR code.

Note
It is important when using a QR code to make sure the link is one that you expect. QR code fraud is on the rise, so make sure everything is as you expect it before entering any personal details (especially payment ones).

How to Scan a QR Code on iPhone

  1. Open the camera app.
  2. Point it at the QR code you want to scan.
  3. A pop-up will appear at the bottom of the image with the link from the QR code. Tap it to open the link.
Tip
On more modern iPhones you can also use the control center and go to the Code Scanner.

How to scan a QR code on Android

  1. Open the camera app (most Android phones support this natively).
  2. Hold the camera over the QR code.
  3. Tap the notification that appears.

How to scan a QR code from a screenshot or picture

  1. Take a screenshot of the QR code or save the image.
  2. Open it with Google Photos (Android) or Photos app (iPhone).
  3. Use the “Lens” or “Live Text” feature to detect and scan the code.

How to scan a QR code on computer

  • Mac: Open the image in Preview, then use your iPhone’s camera or a third-party app to scan it.
  • Windows PC: You can’t scan directly with most webcams, but you can upload the image to an online QR code scanner.

Frequently asked questions for how to scan a QR code

What is a QR code?

A QR code (for quick response) is a type of barcode that can be read by scanners to link to web pages, payment details, business cards, etc.

You’ll also find implementations of QR codes to allow quick links to apps, Wi-Fi passwords, or payment gateways.

If you want to create your own QR codes, you can do so easily with QuillBot’s free QR code generator.

How can I make my own QR codes?

Making a QR code is easy using QuillBot’s free QR code generator. Choose the type of link you want and the shape of the QR code, and then let the generator produce your shareable, printable QR code. Best of all, it’s completely free!

Cite this Quillbot article

We encourage the use of reliable sources in all types of writing. You can copy and paste the citation or click the "Cite this article" button to automatically add it to our free Citation Generator.

QuillBot. (2025, October 23). How To Scan a QR Code on any Device | A Quick Guide. Quillbot. Retrieved November 24, 2025, from https://quillbot.com/blog/quillbot-tools/how-to-scan-a-qr-code/

Is this article helpful?
QuillBot

The QuillBot team provides expert tips on grammar, style, citation, and research. Our easy-to-use tools and resources help our readers communicate with confidence.

Join the conversation

Please click the checkbox on the left to verify that you are a not a bot.