This free online QR code scanner reads a QR code with your phone or laptop camera, or from a picture or screenshot you upload. It shows you what's inside the code before you open anything, so you can check a link is safe first. There's no app to install and no signup.
How to use the online QR code scanner
- With the camera: tap Scan with camera and allow camera access when your browser asks. Point the camera at the QR code and hold still. The result appears as soon as the code is read.
- From a picture or screenshot: tap Upload an image and choose the photo, or drop the image on the box. On a computer you can also copy a screenshot and paste it with Ctrl+V.
- Read the result. If it's a link, check the website name before you tap Open link.
Everything happens inside your browser. The camera picture and the images you upload are not sent to our server or saved anywhere.
What this QR scanner can read
- Website links, including short links. The scanner shows the website name so you can spot a fake one.
- WiFi QR codes, showing the network name, security type and password.
- Contact cards (vCard), phone numbers, SMS and email codes.
- WhatsApp chat codes that open a wa.me link.
- Plain text, event details and anything else stored in a standard QR code.
It reads QR codes only. It doesn't read barcodes on products, and it can't read codes that need a special app, such as some payment or login codes, which only work inside their own app.
Check a QR code before you open it
A QR code hides its link until you scan it, and scammers use that, for example by sticking their own code over a real one on a poster or parking meter. This scanner shows you the full content first, so:
- Read the website name. A bank or shop link should be on that company's real website, not a lookalike with extra words or odd spelling.
- Be careful with short links from strangers. They can lead anywhere.
- Never enter a password, PIN or card details on a page you reached from a QR code unless you're sure it's genuine. Open the official app instead.
Our guide on how to scan a QR code has more safety tips and explains how to scan with your phone's own camera.
If the code won't scan
- Move the camera closer or further away until the code fills about half the frame.
- Use good light and avoid glare on shiny paper or screens.
- For an uploaded picture, crop it so the code is large and sharp. Blurry or very small codes may not be read.
- If the browser doesn't ask for the camera, check the camera permission for this site in your browser settings, or use Upload an image instead.
Make your own QR code
Need a code for your shop, menu or WiFi? Use our free QR code generator, or the WhatsApp link generator for a chat code. With a free Lnky account you can make dynamic QR codes that show how many people scanned them.
QR code scanner FAQ
Is this QR code scanner free?
Yes. It's free to use, with no signup and no limit on scans.
Do you save the images I upload?
No. The code is read inside your browser. The camera picture and uploaded images never leave your device.
Can I scan a QR code from a screenshot?
Yes. Tap Upload an image and choose the screenshot, or paste it with Ctrl+V on a computer.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. It works in Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox on phones and computers. Camera scanning needs a device with a camera and your permission to use it.
Why does it ask for camera permission?
The browser needs your permission to show the camera to the scanner. You can say no and upload a picture instead.