Scan any QR code with your device camera, or upload a photo of a QR code to read it. No app to install — it works right in your browser.
Camera scanning needs a camera and permission. If your device has no camera, use the image upload below instead.
1. Click Start Camera Scanner and allow camera access, then point your camera at a QR code. 2. Or upload a photo of a QR code instead. 3. The decoded text or link appears below — copy it or open it.
QR codes are everywhere now: on restaurant tables, payment counters, product boxes, tickets, posters and business cards. But what do you do when you need to read one and your phone has no scanner app, or you are working on a computer? This free QR code scanner reads QR codes right in your browser. Point your device camera at a code, or upload a photo of one, and the text or link hidden inside appears on screen in seconds — with no app to install, no sign-up and no file uploaded to a server.
A QR code is a square pattern of black and white blocks that stores information — usually a website link, but also Wi-Fi passwords, payment details, contact cards, plain text, or a link to an app. Your phone's camera app can often read them, but a dedicated scanner is better when the code is small, far away, at an angle, or in a photo you already have. This scanner uses the free jsQR library in your browser: it looks at each frame from your camera, finds the three square markers in the corners of the code, reads the pattern of blocks, and turns it back into text. The same reading works on an uploaded photo, which is handy when someone sends you a QR code in a message or an email.
Because the scanner runs entirely in your browser, your camera images and your uploaded photos never leave your device. Nothing is sent to a server, nothing is stored, and the camera turns off as soon as you click Stop Camera. That matters for privacy: a QR code can contain a payment link or a private message, and you should not need to send that to a stranger's server just to read it. This tool keeps everything on your own device, so you can scan with confidence.
Imagine a restaurant table with a QR code that opens the menu. Open this scanner, click Start Camera Scanner, and allow camera access when your browser asks. Point the camera at the code on the table, holding your phone steady about 20 to 30 centimetres away. Within a second or two, the scanner finds the code and shows the link — for example, https://www.example-restaurant.com/menu — with an "Open Link" button. Tap it and the menu opens in a new tab. The whole job takes about five seconds, and you never had to install an app or type a long web address by hand.
Now suppose a friend sends you a photo of a QR code in a chat message, and you are on your computer. Save the photo, open this scanner, and click "Choose File" under "Upload a QR Code Image". Pick the saved photo and the scanner reads the code from it — for example, a Wi-Fi password like "WIFI:T:WPA;S:CoffeeShop;P:coffee123;;" or a payment link. The decoded text appears below, with a Copy button so you can paste it wherever you need it. If the code contains a website link, an "Open Link" button appears too. If the photo is blurry or the code is cut off, the scanner will tell you that no code was found, and you can try a clearer photo.
A QR code stores data in a grid of black and white squares. Three large square markers in the corners tell the reader where the code is and which way up it is, and the smaller squares inside carry the actual data, protected by error correction — which is why a code still works even if part of it is dirty or damaged. The scanner takes a picture, turns it into black-and-white data, finds those three corner markers, reads the grid row by row, and decodes the numbers back into text. It does this many times a second while the camera is on, so the moment a code comes into view, it is read.
Camera scanning needs two things: permission and light. Your browser will ask you to allow camera access — you must click Allow, or the camera cannot start. The page must also be loaded over a secure connection (https), which this site is, because browsers block camera access on plain http pages. Good light helps a lot: a code in a dark room or in bright glare is hard to read, so move closer, hold the phone steady, and make sure the whole code is inside the frame. If the camera is not available at all — for example, on a desktop with no webcam — the image upload option works just as well.
Hold the phone steady. A shaky camera makes the code blurry and hard to read. Fill the frame. The code should take up a good part of the screen — move closer if it is small. Use good light. Turn on a light or move near a window if the code is in shadow. Keep the whole code visible. All three corner squares must be in the picture, or the scanner cannot find it. Check the link before you open it. QR codes can hide any link, so read the decoded text first and only open links you trust.
Blocking camera permission. If you click Block by mistake, the camera cannot start — allow it in your browser's site settings and try again. Scanning in the dark. A code in poor light will not read, so add light before you try again. Cutting off a corner. All three corner squares must be visible, so step back until the whole code is in frame. Opening unknown links blindly. Always read the decoded link first — a QR code can point anywhere, including a fake or harmful site. Forgetting to stop the camera. Click Stop Camera when you are done, so the camera is not left running.
Pro Tip: If a code will not scan from the camera, take a photo of it and upload the photo instead. A still photo is sharper than a live camera frame, and the scanner often reads a photo that the camera could not.
Note: Camera scanning needs a secure (https) page and camera permission. Your camera images and uploaded photos are processed in your browser only and are never sent to any server.
Is this QR code scanner free? Yes, it is completely free, with no sign-up, no download and no app to install.
Do I need to install an app to scan QR codes? No. This scanner works in your browser using your device camera, or by reading an uploaded photo.
Why is my camera not starting? You may have blocked camera permission, or your browser may not allow camera access on this page. Check the camera permission in your browser's site settings and try again.
Can I scan a QR code from a photo? Yes. Upload a clear photo of the code and the scanner will decode it. A sharp, well-lit photo works best.
Are my photos or camera images uploaded anywhere? No. Everything is processed in your browser on your own device. Your images are never sent to a server or stored.
What kinds of QR codes can it read? Website links, Wi-Fi passwords, plain text, contact cards and payment links — any standard QR code.
What if the scanner cannot find the code? Make sure the whole code is in the frame, the light is good, and the photo is sharp. Try moving closer or taking a new photo.
Is it safe to open links from QR codes? Read the decoded link first. Only open links you trust, because a QR code can point to any website, including a fake or harmful one.