How to scan a QR code
Point your phone's regular camera at it and tap the link that pops up. That's it, on both iPhone and Android, no separate app required.
Try it, open your camera now
On iPhone
No scanner app needed: the Camera app does it
Open the Camera app
The regular Camera app, the one already on your Home Screen. No separate scanner app is needed on any iPhone in wide use today.
Point it at the code
Hold the phone steady with the whole QR code inside the frame. You don't need to tap anything or press the shutter.
Tap the notification banner
A yellow banner with a link pops up near the top of the screen within a second or two. Tap it to open.
On Android
The exact app varies by manufacturer, but the idea doesn't
Open the Camera app or Google Lens
Stock Android's Camera app reads QR codes natively. If yours doesn't, Google Lens does. It's built into the Google app and often into the camera itself, depending on your phone's manufacturer.
Point it at the code
Frame the whole code in the viewfinder. Most phones show a small popup or a link preview the moment it's recognised.
Tap the link that appears
Tap the on-screen prompt to open whatever the code leads to: a website, a contact card, a WiFi connection.
Some Android phone makers put a QR scanner shortcut in the quick-settings panel or the lock screen camera shortcut. If yours doesn't recognise a code from the main Camera app, Google Lens, accessible from the Google app or a Lens icon inside Camera, almost always will.
If it's not working
What to do if your phone won't detect it
Check camera permissions
If a third-party scanner app isn't detecting anything, make sure it actually has camera access in your phone's Settings.
Clean the lens
A smudged rear camera lens is a surprisingly common reason a QR code won't focus and read. Wipe it and try again.
Get the whole code in frame, in good light
Cut-off corners or a dim, glare-heavy room make it harder for the camera to lock onto the pattern. Move closer, or into better light, before assuming the code is broken.
Try Google Lens or a dedicated scanner app
If your default camera still isn't picking it up, Google Lens (iOS and Android) or a free QR scanner app from your app store is a reliable fallback.
One thing worth knowing
What happens after you scan
Your phone doesn't just open whatever the code says. It usually shows you a link preview first, as a banner or popup, before anything actually loads. That preview is worth reading, not just tapping past.
This matters because a QR code is just a printed pattern: anyone can print a sticker with their own code on it and paste it over a legitimate one, on a parking meter or a poster, redirecting scanners somewhere they didn't intend to go. Checking the URL your phone shows before you tap it takes a second and catches exactly this kind of thing, especially on codes you encounter in public places rather than ones a business handed you directly or printed on its own packaging.
Questions
Common questions about scanning
No, not on any modern iPhone or Android phone. The built-in Camera app on both platforms recognises QR codes automatically. You only need a separate app if your specific phone or camera app is unusually old or has QR detection turned off somewhere in settings.
Now make a code worth scanning
Free plan includes unlimited static QR codes and 3 dynamic ones, no credit card required.