Frequently Asked Questions
How does the QR code scanner work?
The scanner reads QR codes in one of two ways. In camera mode it asks for permission to use your device camera, shows a live video preview, and analyses each frame in your browser until it finds a QR code — usually within a second of pointing the camera at one. In upload mode you choose an image file, or drag and drop a screenshot or photo, and the tool scans that picture instead. Either way the decoding happens entirely on your own device using JavaScript: the camera frames and images are processed locally and immediately discarded, never uploaded to a server. As soon as a code is recognised, its contents appear below, with a clickable link if the code holds a web address.
Do I need to install an app to scan a QR code?
No. This is a web-based scanner that runs in your browser, so there is nothing to download or install and no account to create. It works on a laptop or desktop with a webcam and on phones and tablets through the mobile browser. That makes it handy when you are on a computer that has no camera app, when you have a QR code saved as a screenshot, or when you simply do not want to install yet another scanning app. Open the page, allow the camera or pick an image, and you have a working scanner in seconds — and because it is just a web page, you can bookmark it and reuse it anytime.
Why does it ask for camera permission?
Live scanning needs to see through your camera, so the browser asks your permission before any video is captured — this is a standard browser security prompt, not a request that sends anything to us. If you allow it, the video stays on your device and is analysed locally to look for a QR code; nothing is recorded or transmitted. If you would rather not grant camera access, switch to the Upload Image tab and scan a saved photo or screenshot instead, which needs no camera at all. You can revoke camera permission at any time in your browser's site settings, and the camera turns off the moment you press Stop, leave the page, or a code is found.
Can I scan a QR code from a screenshot or photo?
Yes. Choose the Upload Image tab, then click to browse for a file or drag and drop a picture straight onto the drop zone. The scanner accepts common image formats such as PNG, JPG, GIF and WebP, including screenshots of QR codes you have received in a message, email or document. For the best results use a clear, well-lit image where the QR code is reasonably large and not cut off at the edges; very small, blurry, or heavily rotated codes can be harder to read. If the first image does not decode, try cropping it closer to the code or using a sharper copy, then upload it again.
Is it safe to open a link from a scanned QR code?
Treat a scanned link the way you would any link from an unknown source. This tool shows you the full decoded text before you do anything, so you can read the exact web address rather than being sent there automatically — a useful safeguard, since malicious QR codes work by hiding a deceptive URL behind an innocent-looking square. Check that the domain is one you recognise and expect before clicking. If a code claims to be from a bank, parcel service or login page but points to an unfamiliar address, do not open it. For plain links the tool makes the URL clickable in a new tab; for anything else it simply shows the text so you stay in control.
Is the QR scanner free and private?
Yes. The scanner is completely free with no account, no payment and no limit on how many codes you read. It is private by design: all decoding runs client-side in your browser, so camera frames and uploaded images are processed on your device and never sent to or stored on a server, and the decoded result is not logged anywhere. Once a code is read it lives only in the page in front of you, and refreshing or closing the tab clears it. The camera is only ever active while you are scanning and stops automatically when a code is found or when you press Stop, so it is never left running in the background.