QR Code Scanner
Scan a QR code with your camera, drop in an image, or paste one with Ctrl + V — and see exactly what it contains, broken out field by field.
Scan with your camera, drop in an image, or paste one with Ctrl + V.
How to use the QR Code Scanner
- Click “Start camera” and allow access, then point it at a QR code.
- Or drop in an image — PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP or SVG.
- Or copy a QR code anywhere and paste it with Ctrl + V.
- The contents are decoded and broken out: a Wi-Fi login shows its network and password, a contact card shows each field, a link shows its domain and parameters.
About the QR Code Scanner
Read a QR code four ways: start your camera and point it at the code, drop in an image, choose a file, or simply paste one with Ctrl + V — which is usually the fastest, because the code is normally already on your clipboard as a screenshot. Images can be PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP or SVG; an SVG has no pixels of its own, so it is rendered to a canvas at a size large enough to read before decoding.
What sets this apart from a plain reader is that it opens the contents up rather than printing them. A QR code is almost never plain text: it is a Wi-Fi login, a contact card, a calendar event, a payment address, a link with tracking parameters. So a Wi-Fi code shows the network name, the security type and the password as separate fields; a contact card shows the name, organisation, phone and email; a link shows its domain, path and every query parameter. Passwords and two-factor secrets are blurred until you ask to see them, because a Wi-Fi password on screen is something a passer-by or a screen share picks up without anyone intending it. The raw text is always there too, one click away.
Originally you could scan in two ways: start your camera and point it at the code, or upload a photo or screenshot that already has one in it. Either way the decoding is done on your device by the bundled jsQR library, and the moment it recognises the code the decoded text appears on screen. On phones the tool asks for the rear, environment-facing camera, which is the one you naturally aim at a code.
If the decoded text is a web address it is shown as a clickable link that opens in a new tab, so you can go straight there; whatever the content, a Copy button puts it on your clipboard. The whole process stays local, so the live camera feed and any image you upload are never sent to a server, which is what you want when a QR code might carry a Wi-Fi password or a private link.
A few honest conditions help you get a clean read: the camera needs a secure https page and your permission to switch on, and it decodes best with good lighting and a steady, reasonably large code in frame. It reads QR codes specifically, not the classic one-dimensional barcodes like the stripes on shop packaging. To make your own codes, use the QR code generator, or the dedicated Wi-Fi QR code generator for network logins.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a camera to scan a QR code?
No. You can either use your camera and point it at the code, or upload a photo or screenshot that contains a QR code. Both routes decode the code in your browser, so an image already on your device works just as well as a live camera.
Is the camera feed or my image sent to a server?
No. Decoding happens entirely on your device using the bundled jsQR library. The live camera feed and any picture you upload stay local and are never transmitted, which keeps private links and Wi-Fi codes on your device.
Why will my camera not turn on?
The camera needs a secure https page and your explicit permission. If the page is not served over https, or you declined the permission prompt, the camera cannot start. Check the browser site permissions and reload, or use the upload option instead.
What happens when the code is a web link?
The decoded address is shown as a clickable link that opens in a new tab, so you can visit it directly. A Copy button is also provided, and it works for any content, so you can copy plain text, a link or other data to your clipboard.
Can it read ordinary barcodes too?
No. It reads QR codes only, the square, two-dimensional patterns. The one-dimensional striped barcodes found on shop packaging use a different system and are not supported. For those you would need a dedicated barcode reader.