6 Ways to Scan a QR Code on Your Phone (2024)

Scanning a QR code with your phone allows you to open websites, exchange contacts, and make online payments. This guide shows how to scan a QR code on your Android phone or iPhone screen.

1. Scan QR Code Using Your Phone Camera

Whether you’re using anAndroid or iPhone, you can use your phone’s rear camera to scan external QR codes. This works everywhere – on paper, packaging, clothes, a tablet or PC screen, or another smartphone.

Android

On any Android device, open the Camera app from the home screen or by selecting it from the app drawer. With the Photo mode on, look for the Settings option which appears differently on various devices.

For example, on Pixel devices, the option exists at the bottom left of the Camera app. On Samsung Galaxy devices, you can find it on top left. For OnePlus devices, you need to pull down a menu drawer.

In each case, you will find a menu option labeled QR code scanning. It is enabled by default; if not, you should activate it first.

After enabling the above option just once, aim your Android phone’s camera at any external QR code. Make sure the entire QR code fits within the camera frame. The camera will then automatically direct you to a link, social media profile, or prompt another action.

iPhone

Scanning a QR code with the Camera app on an iPhone is very similar. Click the Settings menu on your home screen and scroll down to the Camera app option. Enable the setting for Scan QR codes.

After that, go back to the default Camera app and keep it at the Photo mode setting. It can be set from a slider at the bottom. Then you only need to find a QR code and ensure that it’s in the viewfinder. Once the camera recognizes it, a little yellow link appears which you can tap to open a prompt.

Related: if you’re using a Windows PC, there are multiple ways to use your laptop camera or browser to scan a QR code.

2. Scan QR Code on Phone Screen

Using Another Phone

The simplest method to scan a QR code on a phone screen is to use the Camera app of another phone. Ensure that the QR code scanning feature is activated on the device capturing the image.

Position the rear camera towards the second phone’s screen so that the QR code is fully visible within the camera frame for Android, or the viewfinder for iPhone. The camera will automatically generate a website link, which you can tap to proceed with the desired action.

On the Same Phone

You may not always have a second phone available. Scanning a QR code that’s already on your phone – whether it’s received through a browser, email, social media, or a messenger link – is straightforward. Simply save the QR code by taking a screenshot or printing it and saving as a PDF. Then, use one of these methods to scan the saved QR code image or printout.

3. Scan QR Code Using Google Lens

Google Lens enables easy scanning of QR codes, whether they are external or on your phone. For Android users, you can download and install the app in advance, or it might already be installed. iPhone users should download the official Google app from the App Store. In both cases, make sure the QR code scanning feature is active on your device.

Open the Google Lens app. To capture an external QR code, position the rear camera around the code. The link is now visible, and Google Lens will prompt you to Tap shutter button to open website.

To open QR codes saved on your phone, tap the Search with your Camera button located to the left of the large shutter button. You may need to give Google Lens permission to access all the images on your device. After that, you can select any downloaded or saved image to perform QR code scanning.

4. How to Scan QR Codes Using a Wallet App

Wallet apps like Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, Venmo or Zelle offer some of the easiest ways to open any QR code you encounter on your device, or another object or screen. Most of these wallet apps have a QR scanning option enabled as soon as you launch the app home screen.

In the following example, we have used Samsung Wallet to open QR codes. You only need to click Scan any QR to either make payments online, or open website links and other prompts.

You can also scan QR codes with various social media apps on both Android and iPhone. This new feature on social media platforms is extremely useful for quickly exchanging contact information. There’s no need to manually input your phone number or details; simply display your personal social media QR code, and the other person can swiftly scan it to save and update your contact information.

On WhatsApp, click the 3-dot menu on top right to open Settings, and click the QR code icon. To add someone’s phone number, go to Scan code and request them to show their My code screen which will have a WhatsApp QR code. As soon as you scan it, their number will be added.

I personally find the above method very useful to make new friends while traveling overseas as there’s no need to bother with ISD codes.

The QR code scanning option is also available in Facebook Messenger and Instagram. To exchange your contact information on Facebook Messenger, tap on your user profile image, then select Settings.

Here, you can tap the QR code icon at the top right, which will reveal your unique Facebook Messenger QR code. People can scan it using their phone’s camera to add you to their Messenger list, as long as they have the Messenger app installed on their device.

Other social media apps that support a QR code option to add contacts include Telegram, Signal, Wire, Element, Threema, and iMessage.

FYI: did you know that you can log in to Outlook using a QR code alone?

6. Scan QR Codes Using Other Third-Party Apps

There are several QR code scanner apps on both Google Play and App Store that let you open QR code links. The only hitch is that they may have advertisem*nts or some of the best features are available in a professional version.

On Android, there is the QR & Barcode Reader which is lightweight and easy to use. It can scan QR codes both on another surface and on your device Photos and albums. As soon as you spot a QR code, drag the orange markers till the barcode is detected.

Other Google Play apps worth recommending are QR Code & Barcode Scanner, and this app by Gamma Scan. iPhone users can instead use QR Code Reader by TinyLab, and QR Pro.

We have seen how to scan QR code on your phone screen using different methods and applications. If you want to create professional QR codes, use tools like Canva. Furthermore, you can also extract text from an image on your phone.

Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Sayak Boral.