QR Code Scanner from Image or Screenshot
Got a QR code in a screenshot, an email or a photo you can't point a camera at? Drop it here to read it, check where it leads, and only then decide whether to open it.
Read a QR code from a screenshot, photo or saved picture, even on the device that is showing it. The picture never leaves this page, and nothing inside the code is opened until you choose to.
Drop a picture with a QR code, paste a screenshot (Ctrl/⌘+V), or
PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF or BMP. Several codes in one picture are found too. Nothing is uploaded.
How it works
Drop, paste or choose a picture. A screenshot works best: on a phone, take a screenshot of the code and choose it here; on a computer, copy a screenshot and press Ctrl+V (⌘+V on a Mac). The picture is decoded on this page by an open-source decoder (jsQR) and is never uploaded. If your device has a camera, Scan with the camera reads codes live; the video stays on your device and the camera turns off as soon as a code is found.
Each code found is outlined in green on your picture, and several codes in one picture are listed separately, numbered top to bottom. If nothing is found, crop closer to the code, use a sharper picture, or make sure the white border around the code is visible.
Links are never opened for you. You see the website the link really goes to, with the part that decides who owns it highlighted, plus warning signs such as a familiar brand name in front of a different website, letters swapped for numbers, international lookalike letters, an @ trick, a bare IP address, a link shortener that hides the destination, or a second link tucked inside. No warnings does not prove a link is safe, so still check it is the organisation you expected. More in how to check a QR code before you open it.
Other kinds of code are explained in plain words: Wi-Fi codes show the network name and a hidden password you can reveal or copy, contact cards list the name, phone and email, calendar codes show the event time, map codes link to the spot, and two-factor setup codes and payment requests come with a clear warning. The exact text inside every code is always available to read and copy.
To make your own code, use the QR code generator or the Wi-Fi QR code maker; both also run entirely in your browser.
Curious how a code still scans with a sticker on it, or what a fake sticker on a parking machine looks like? The hands-on lesson Can a sticker change where a QR code takes you? lets you damage a code while a real decoder tries to read it, then check five pretend posters.
Questions
Can I scan a QR code that is on my own phone screen?
Yes. Take a screenshot of the code, open this page, and choose the screenshot. The code is read from the picture, so you do not need a second device.
Is my picture uploaded?
No. The picture is read and decoded entirely in your browser, and nothing about it is sent to a server. Once the page has loaded, it works offline too.
Does scanning a QR code open the link automatically?
Not here. You see the real destination and any warning signs first, and the link only opens if you press the Open button.
How can I tell if a QR code link is safe?
Look at the end of the web address, just before the first single slash: that part decides who owns the site. Be wary of a familiar name in front of a different site, numbers replacing letters, link shorteners, and pages that ask you to sign in or pay after scanning a code on a sticker, a parking meter or an unexpected letter or email.
Why can't it find the QR code in my picture?
The code may be too small, blurry, cut off at an edge, covered by glare, or missing its white border. It may also be a different kind of code, such as a barcode, Data Matrix or Aztec code. Crop closer and try again.
Can it read the password from a Wi-Fi QR code?
Yes. Wi-Fi codes contain the network name and password as plain text, so the scanner shows both. The password stays hidden until you press Show.