How to scan a QR code on iPhone and Android
Modern phones scan QR codes with the built-in camera — no app required. Here’s how on iPhone and Android, plus how to scan a code that’s already in a photo.
On iPhone
Open the Camera app and point it at the QR code. Hold steady for a second — a notification banner appears at the top. Tap it to open the link. This works on iOS 11 and later. If nothing happens, go to Settings → Camera and enable “Scan QR Codes.”
On Android
On most recent Android phones, open the Camera app and point it at the code; tap the pop-up link. If your camera doesn’t detect it, use Google Lens (in the camera, Google app, or Photos) and point it at the code. Many phones also have a QR scanner in Quick Settings.
Scanning a code from a photo or screenshot
Sometimes the code is already on your screen — in an email, a saved image, or a screenshot. On Android, open the image in Google Photos and tap the Lens icon. On iPhone, open the photo and tap the Live Text/Lens control, or use our online QR scanner, which reads a code from any uploaded image entirely on your device.
If it won’t scan
Clean the lens, improve lighting, hold steady, and make sure the whole code (with its margin) is in frame. If the printed code itself is the problem, see QR code not scanning.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an app to scan QR codes?
No. Both iPhone (iOS 11+) and modern Android scan QR codes with the built-in camera. Google Lens is a built-in fallback on Android.
How do I scan a QR code from a screenshot?
Open the image and use Google Lens (Android) or Live Text (iPhone), or upload it to our on-device online scanner, which reads codes from any image.
Why won’t my camera scan the code?
Check that QR scanning is enabled in camera settings, clean the lens, improve lighting, and make sure the full code and its margin are in view.
Try our free, private online QR scanner.