QR Code Reader
Pick an image file containing a QR code and this tool reads its content on the spot.
Images are processed on your device and never uploaded to a server.
Select or drop an image
Works with screenshots, photos, and saved QR code images
What this tool does
A smartphone camera can scan a QR code in front of you, but it cannot scan one inside a screenshot or a saved image. This tool decodes the QR code the moment you pick an image file.
Even when the decoded content is a URL, nothing opens automatically. The content is shown as text, and for URLs a link to this site's URL expander lets you inspect the destination before deciding to open it. This also makes the tool useful for checking unfamiliar QR codes safely.
All image processing happens inside your browser. The image you pick is never uploaded to this site's servers.
How to use
Prepare the QR code image
Save an on-screen QR code as a screenshot, or take a photo of a printed one. As long as the whole QR code is clearly visible, some surrounding background or margin is fine.
Select or drop the image
Open an image file with the select button, or drag one onto the dashed area. Reading starts right away, and the result appears below.
Check the decoded content
The decoded text is shown as-is. You can read a URL, contact details, Wi-Fi settings, or whatever was embedded in the QR code as plain text, without opening any link.
Verify the destination before opening a URL
When the content is a URL, a link to the redirect checker appears. Especially for unfamiliar QR codes, it is more reliable to check where the URL leads before deciding to open it.
How QR codes work and how they are read
How a QR code stores information
A QR code represents information as a grid of small black and white squares. Each square maps to a sequence of 0s and 1s, and that sequence encodes the original content such as text, numbers, or a URL. The three large squares in the corners tell the reader the code's orientation and position.
For the same kind of content, the more data you embed, the more squares are needed and the finer the pattern becomes. The whole code, including the quiet margin around it, must be visible for a reliable read.
How the content is decoded from an image
Reading begins by locating the three corner markers to establish the code's boundary and orientation. Each cell in the grid is then judged as black or white and turned back into a sequence of 0s and 1s.
A QR code includes built-in correction data so that the original content can be recovered even if part of it is dirty or missing. Thanks to this, a somewhat unclear image can sometimes still be read.
Why on-device processing matters, and how URLs are handled
This tool decodes the selected image entirely within your browser on your own device. The image itself is never sent to the site's servers, so you can safely check images that happen to contain personal information.
Even when the decoded content is a URL, it is never opened automatically. Because you cannot tell what a QR code contains just by looking, checking it as text first and looking up the destination when needed helps you avoid being led to an unexpected site.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of images can be read?
Screenshots, photos, and saved images all work as long as the entire QR code is clearly visible. Blurry, very small, or partially cut-off codes may fail to read.
Are decoded URLs opened automatically?
No. The content is only displayed as text. For URLs, a link to the URL expander is shown so you can inspect the destination before deciding to open it.
Is the image I pick sent anywhere?
No. Decoding happens entirely inside your browser, and the image is never uploaded to this site's servers.
What can a QR code contain besides a URL?
Besides a URL, a QR code may contain plain text, a phone number or email address, Wi-Fi connection settings, or contact details. This tool displays whatever was embedded as plain text.
What kinds of images cannot be read?
Images that are blurry, extremely small, missing part of the QR code, or low in contrast due to glare may fail to read. Retake the photo so the whole QR code is clearly visible, or try a different image.
QR code terms and articles
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