QR Code Scanner

About This Tool

This free QR code scanner reads QR codes from uploaded images or a live webcam feed with no installation required. Every smartphone has a built-in QR reader in its camera app, but desktop and laptop users are often stuck without a native scanner. Extensions exist, but they require granting broad permissions that expose your browsing data to third parties. Dedicated scanning apps take up storage space and frequently display aggressive ads between scans. This scanner eliminates all of those problems by running entirely in your current tab with zero downloads or signups. The scanning engine extracts QR data from pixel data in uploaded images or camera frames, and your files never leave your device. No server receives your images, no database stores your scan history, and no analytics track what codes you read. The scan history shown on this page exists only in temporary memory and disappears the moment you close the tab. This approach provides both convenience and genuine privacy protection, especially when scanning QR codes that contain sensitive information like WiFi passwords, personal contact cards, or private URLs. The tool detects and classifies nine different QR content types including URLs, WiFi credentials, email addresses, phone numbers, SMS messages, vCard contacts, calendar events, geographic coordinates, and plain text, giving you context-aware action buttons for each type.

How QR Code Scanning Works

QR code scanning involves three distinct stages: image capture, pattern recognition, and data decoding. Understanding each stage helps explain why some codes scan instantly while others require multiple attempts.

Image Capture: The scanner acquires a bitmap image of the QR code, either from an uploaded file or a video frame from your camera. The image is converted into raw pixel data (an array of RGBA values for every pixel). Higher resolution images provide more pixel data to work with, improving detection accuracy.

Pattern Recognition: The decoding engine scans the pixel data for the three distinctive finder patterns: large squares located in three corners of every QR code. These L-shaped position markers allow the decoder to determine the code's orientation, size, and perspective angle. Once found, the algorithm maps out the complete grid structure, identifying timing patterns (alternating black/white modules that define row and column positions) and alignment patterns (smaller squares that correct for camera distortion).

Data Decoding: After mapping the grid, the scanner reads the encoded data modules. QR codes use Reed-Solomon error correction, which means up to 30% of the code can be damaged or obscured and still decode successfully. The decoder determines the encoding mode (numeric, alphanumeric, byte, or Kanji), applies the appropriate character mapping, and outputs the final text string. This entire process happens in under 50 milliseconds for a typical QR code, which is why webcam scanning can process frames in real time.

Image Upload vs Webcam Scanning

This tool provides two scanning methods, each suited to different situations.

Image Upload Scanning:

• Best for: Screenshots of QR codes received via email or messaging apps, QR codes saved as image files, scanned documents containing QR codes, and codes found on websites
• Advantages: Works on any device including desktops without cameras, handles high-resolution images with small or dense QR codes, allows re-scanning the same image without repositioning
• Supported formats: PNG, JPG/JPEG, GIF, WEBP, and BMP
• Tip: Crop the image to just the QR code area before uploading if the scanner has trouble detecting it in a larger image

Webcam Scanning:

• Best for: Physical QR codes printed on paper, packaging, signs, or screens
• Advantages: Instant scanning without file management, works like a phone scanner on your laptop, auto-detects and stops on successful scan
• Requirements: A webcam or built-in camera, browser permission to access the camera
• Tip: Hold the QR code steady within the guide overlay, ensure adequate lighting, and position the code so it fills roughly half the frame for fastest detection

QR Code Types This Scanner Can Read

QR codes encode plain text, but specific text formats trigger different actions on your device. This scanner identifies nine standard content types and provides appropriate action buttons for each.

• URL (http:// or https://): Website links. The scanner shows an "Open URL" button that opens the link in a new tab. Always preview the URL before clicking to avoid phishing sites
• WiFi (WIFI:T:...;S:...;P:...;;): Network credentials including SSID, password, and encryption type. The scanner parses and displays each field separately for easy reading
• Email (mailto:): Email addresses with optional subject and body. Opens your default email client with pre-filled fields
• Phone (tel:): Phone numbers in international format. Triggers a call dialog on mobile devices
• SMS (sms: or smsto:): Text message shortcuts with recipient number and optional message body
• vCard (BEGIN:VCARD): Digital business cards containing name, phone, email, address, and organization
• Calendar (BEGIN:VEVENT): Event details including date, time, location, and description in iCalendar format
• Geo (geo:): Geographic coordinates. The scanner provides an "Open in Maps" button linking directly to Google Maps
• Plain Text: Any content that does not match the patterns above is displayed as plain text with a copy button

Privacy and Security When Scanning QR Codes

QR codes are a common vector for phishing attacks, a technique known as "QRishing." Before acting on any scanned result, take a moment to verify what you are about to open.

URL Safety Checks:

• Read the full URL displayed in the result before clicking "Open URL." Look for misspelled domain names (g00gle.com instead of google.com)
• Check that the URL uses HTTPS, not HTTP. Legitimate sites use encrypted connections
• Be suspicious of shortened URLs (bit.ly, tinyurl.com) that hide the actual destination
• Never enter passwords or personal information on a site reached by scanning an unknown QR code

Physical QR Code Tampering:

• Attackers place stickers with malicious QR codes over legitimate ones on parking meters, restaurant menus, and public notices
• Check for signs of tampering: stickers placed on top of printed codes, codes that look different from surrounding materials
• If in doubt, type the URL manually instead of scanning

This Tool's Privacy Model:

• Image upload scanning: your image file stays in local memory on your device. No server upload occurs
• Webcam scanning: video frames are processed locally in real time. The camera stream is never recorded or transmitted
• Scan history: stored only in temporary memory while the tab is open. Closing or refreshing the tab erases all history permanently
• No cookies, no local storage, no analytics calls related to your scanned content

Troubleshooting Common Scanning Issues

If the scanner fails to detect a QR code, one of these common issues is likely the cause.

Image Upload Issues:

• Blurry or low-resolution image: Use a higher-quality source image. If the QR code modules (individual squares) are less than 3 pixels wide, the decoder may fail
• Too much surrounding content: Crop the image so the QR code fills most of the frame. Large images with small QR codes in a corner are harder to detect
• Inverted colors: Some QR codes use white modules on dark backgrounds. While the decoder handles standard inversions, unusual color combinations can cause failures
• Damaged or partial code: QR codes tolerate up to 30% damage (depending on error correction level), but physical damage to finder patterns (the large corner squares) will prevent detection entirely

Webcam Scanning Issues:

• Camera permission denied: Check your browser's site settings (lock icon in address bar) and ensure camera access is set to "Allow." Then reload the page
• Poor lighting: QR codes need sufficient contrast to be detected. Move to a well-lit area or turn on a desk lamp. Avoid direct glare reflecting off glossy surfaces
• Distance and angle: Hold the QR code 6-12 inches from the camera. Keep the code flat and roughly parallel to the camera lens
• Code too small: The QR code should fill at least one quarter of the camera frame for reliable scanning
• Multiple codes in frame: The scanner reads one code at a time. If multiple QR codes are visible, isolate the target code by covering others or moving closer

QR Codes in Business and Daily Life

QR code usage has grown substantially since 2020, with adoption spanning nearly every industry. Understanding where you encounter QR codes helps you use this scanner more effectively.

• Restaurants and cafes: Digital menus, contactless ordering, loyalty program enrollment, and tip payment links
• Retail and e-commerce: Product information pages, warranty registration, return labels, and promotional discount codes
• Transportation: Boarding passes, train tickets, parking payment systems, bike and scooter rentals
• Healthcare: Patient check-in, prescription details, insurance card sharing, and vaccination records
• Events and entertainment: Ticket validation, event schedules, interactive exhibits in museums, and augmented reality experiences
• Real estate: Property listing details on "For Sale" signs, virtual tour links, agent contact information
• Networking: vCard QR codes on business cards replace manual contact entry, reducing errors and saving time at conferences

Desktop users frequently receive QR codes via email, messaging apps, or documents and need a way to decode them without transferring to a phone. This online scanner fills that gap.

Frequently Asked Questions