Free Tool

QR Code Scanner Online

Scan any QR code without an app — upload an image or use your camera. Everything runs in your browser, so your images and data never leave your device.

100% private No app needed Free & unlimited Instant results
Recent scans

    No scans yet. Your last 10 scans will appear here if you turn on history — stored only in this browser.

    Two easy ways

    How to scan a QR code

    From an image or screenshot

    Drag & drop a QR image, click to browse, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl/⌘+V. The code is read instantly on your device. Great for QR codes you receive in emails, PDFs, or on screen.

    With your camera

    Switch to the camera tab, press “Start camera”, and point it at the QR code. It detects automatically — no button to press. On phones you can switch cameras and turn on the torch in the dark.

    Supported image formats: PNG, JPG, WEBP, GIF and BMP. Camera scanning needs a device with a webcam and a secure (https) connection.

    What it reads

    QR code types this scanner detects

    URL / Website

    Opens a web page or link in your browser.

    Plain text

    Shows any text message, note, or code.

    Wi-Fi

    Holds a network name and password to join Wi-Fi.

    Location

    A map pin (latitude/longitude) you can open in Maps.

    Contact (vCard)

    A full contact card — name, phone, email, company.

    SMS

    Pre-fills a text message to a phone number.

    Phone call

    Dials a phone number when opened on a phone.

    Event

    A calendar event with title, date, and time.

    Email

    Pre-fills an email to a specific address.

    Payment / UPI

    Links to a payment or UPI handle (where supported).

    Need to create a QR code instead?

    Turn any link or text into a downloadable QR code in seconds — free, no sign-up.

    Open the QR Code Generator

    QR Code Scanner Online: Read Any Code From a Screenshot or Camera

    The QR code is in an email. Or a PDF. Or a screenshot someone sent you. It is on the same screen you are holding, which means you cannot point your phone camera at it — and that is the exact moment people start searching for an app.

    You do not need one. This QR code scanner online reads codes from an uploaded image, a pasted screenshot, or your webcam, and the decoding happens entirely on your device.

    Three Ways to Scan

    Upload an image. Drag and drop a file, or click to browse. PNG, JPG, WEBP, GIF, and BMP all work.

    Paste a screenshot. Press Ctrl or ⌘ + V and the code is read immediately. This is the fastest route when the code is on your screen right now.

    Use your camera. Switch to the camera tab, press Start camera, and hold the code up. Detection is automatic — no button to press. On phones you can switch cameras and turn on the torch in low light.

    Can You Scan a QR Code From a Screenshot?

    Yes, and it is the most useful thing this tool does. Phone cameras only scan codes in the physical world, which leaves everyone stuck when the code arrives digitally — in a confirmation email, a ticket PDF, a chat message, or a slide.

    Paste the screenshot here and the code decodes on the spot. No printing it out, no photographing one screen with another device.

    Camera scanning needs a webcam and a secure connection, which this page uses. So yes, you can scan a QR code on a laptop — either by uploading the image or by holding the code up to the webcam.

    It Reads More Than Links

    QR codes carry ten different content types, and the scanner shows you what is inside before you act on it:

    A URL to open, plain text, Wi-Fi credentials, a location pin, a contact card, an SMS draft, a phone number, a calendar event, an email draft, or a payment/UPI handle.

    The Wi-Fi case is quietly the most practical. Scan a Wi-Fi QR code here and the network name, password, and security type appear as readable text — so you can type them into a laptop that cannot scan the code itself.

    Seeing the Destination Before You Tap Is a Safety Feature

    Malicious QR codes work precisely because nobody can read them. A sticker over the code on a parking meter or a restaurant table sends you to a convincing fake payment page, and you have no way of knowing until you have already arrived.

    Scanning here shows the decoded URL as text first. You read where it goes, then decide. For any code in a public place, on a flyer, or in an unexpected email, that thirty-second check is worth making.

    Why Codes Sometimes Fail to Decode

    Almost always the image, not the code. Blurry photos, codes that are too small in frame, low contrast, or a code partly cut off at the edge. Take a sharper, closer, well-lit picture with the whole code visible and it usually works. Heavily stylised or physically damaged codes may not decode at all.

    Nothing Leaves Your Device

    Images, camera feed, and results are processed in your browser. No uploads to a server. Scan history is optional, stores your last ten scans in this browser only, and you can clear it whenever you want.

    Who Uses It

    Anyone handed a code in an email or PDF. Laptop users without a phone to hand. Event staff checking tickets. Anyone verifying where a code leads before tapping. To create codes rather than read them, use the QR Code Generator or the vCard QR Generator — both are among the free AI tools for small business we cover on the blog.

    Scan Your Code Now

    The code you are trying to read is probably already on your screen. Paste the screenshot into the QR code scanner online above and see exactly where it leads before you go there.

    Questions answered

    Frequently asked questions

    Everything you might be wondering about the QR Code Scanner.

    How do I scan a QR code online?
    Open this page, then either upload an image of the QR code (drag & drop, click to browse, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl/⌘+V) or switch to the camera tab and point your webcam at the code. The result — a link, text, Wi-Fi details, and so on — appears instantly, with a button to copy it or open the link.
    How do I scan a QR code on iPhone?
    On iPhone you can simply open the built-in Camera app and hold it over the QR code — a notification banner appears, tap it to open. If you already have the QR as a photo or screenshot, open this scanner in Safari and upload the image instead.
    How do I scan a QR code on Android?
    Most modern Android phones scan QR codes straight from the Camera app or Google Lens. If that is unavailable, or you have the code saved as an image, open this page in Chrome and use the camera tab or upload the picture — no app to install.
    Can you scan a QR code without an app?
    Yes. This scanner runs entirely in your web browser, so there is nothing to download or install. It works on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops with a modern browser.
    Can you scan a QR code from a picture or screenshot?
    Absolutely. Upload the image or paste a screenshot (Ctrl/⌘+V) and the code is read on your device. This is the easiest way to handle QR codes you receive in emails, PDFs, chats, or on another screen.
    How do I scan a QR code with my laptop?
    Two ways: upload a saved image of the code, or click the camera tab and allow webcam access, then hold the code up to your laptop camera. Camera scanning needs a secure (https) connection, which this page uses.
    How do I scan a Wi-Fi QR code on a laptop?
    Upload or camera-scan the Wi-Fi QR code here and the scanner shows the network name, password, and security type in plain text, so you can type them into your laptop’s Wi-Fi settings to connect.
    Why is my QR code not scanning?
    Usually the image is blurry, too small, low-contrast, or partly cut off. Try a sharper, closer, well-lit picture with the whole code visible, or clean your camera lens. Very stylised or damaged codes may not decode.
    Is this scanner safe? Does it upload my images or QR data?
    It is safe and private. The decoding happens 100% in your browser — your images, camera feed, and scan results are never uploaded to any server. Scan history (if you turn it on) is stored only in this browser and you can clear it anytime.