All QR Tools

QR Code Scanner

Scan any QR code with your camera or by uploading an image - free, private, and processed entirely in your browser, with no app to install.

Scan with your camera

Works on both desktop and mobile browsers that support camera access.

Or upload an image

Have a screenshot or photo of a QR code? Upload it to decode instantly.

Decoded content:

Open Link Restyle This QR Code

What this tool does

This QR code scanner reads any standard QR code using either your device's camera or an image you upload, and shows you the decoded content instantly - a link, WiFi credentials, contact details, plain text, or anything else encoded inside. It works entirely inside your browser, using your device's own camera hardware and a JavaScript decoding library, so nothing about the scan is sent anywhere.

Who this is for

This scanner is useful any time you need to decode a QR code without a dedicated app: checking what a code on a poster or product actually links to before scanning it with your everyday camera app, decoding an old printed code that's no longer legible enough for a typical phone camera, verifying a QR code you just generated before printing it at scale, or reading a code from a screenshot someone sent you rather than a physical object in front of you.

How to use it

  1. Choose Start Camera to scan live, or upload an image if you already have a photo or screenshot of a QR code.
  2. If scanning live, hold your device steady with the code centered in view - most codes decode within a second once properly focused.
  3. Once decoded, the content appears immediately below - if it's a link, an "Open Link" button appears so you can review the destination before visiting it.
  4. If you'd like to redesign the code you just scanned, use "Restyle This QR Code" to carry its content directly into our generator.

Tips for best results

  • Make sure the code fills a reasonable portion of the camera frame - too far away and the camera may struggle to focus.
  • Avoid glare from overhead lights or direct sunlight reflecting off a glossy printed surface.
  • For uploaded images, a cropped, well-lit photo decodes more reliably than a wide shot where the code is a small part of the frame.
  • If a code repeatedly fails to scan, it may genuinely be damaged, too low-resolution, or printed with insufficient contrast - see our common QR code mistakes guide for what usually causes this.

Privacy and security

Everything happens locally in your browser using your device's camera or a photo you upload - nothing is sent to our servers, so scanning stays completely private. That said, decoding a QR code only reveals what's inside it; it doesn't tell you whether the destination itself is trustworthy. Review any link before opening it, and never enter sensitive information on an unfamiliar site reached via QR code. Our QR code security guide covers this in more depth.

Frequently asked questions

No. This scanner runs directly in your browser using your device camera or an uploaded photo - there is nothing to install.

Yes. Decoding happens entirely on your own device using JavaScript running in your browser. The image never leaves your device or gets uploaded to our servers.

Most failures come down to focus, lighting, or distance. Hold the code steady, make sure it fills a reasonable portion of the frame, and avoid glare from direct light sources.

Yes - use the "Upload an image" option to decode a QR code from a screenshot or photo already saved on your device.

It reads any standard QR code, regardless of what it encodes - URLs, WiFi credentials, contact cards, payment links, and plain text all decode the same way.

Yes - it works in any modern mobile or desktop browser that supports camera access, including Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

The scan itself is safe - decoding just reveals the text inside. Be cautious about what you do next: check the destination link before opening it. See our guide on QR code security for details.

Yes - after decoding, use the "Restyle This QR Code" option to carry the content straight into our generator with your own colors, logo, and shape.

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