QR Code Reader & Scanner

Upload an image, screenshot, or scan via camera to decode any QR code instantly. 100% private — your images are processed locally on your device.

Drag & Drop QR Image or Click to Upload

Supports PNG, JPG, WEBP, and GIF screenshots

How to use the QR Code Reader

Drop an image containing a QR code onto the panel, or click to choose a file. Screenshots, photos and saved images all work.

The decoded content appears immediately: a link, plain text, contact details or a Wi-Fi string.

Use Open Link to visit a web address, or Copy Text to paste the content elsewhere.

When to use it

Phone cameras read codes on paper, but they cannot read a code that is already on your screen: a QR code in a PDF invoice, in a screenshot a customer sent you, in an email, or in a presentation. This reader handles those cases on a desktop or laptop, and on a phone when the code is in an image you already have rather than in front of the camera.

How the reader works

The image is decoded in your browser: the code's finder patterns are located, the modules are read, and the content is shown as text. Nothing is uploaded. Because the decoder works on the image you give it, a clean screenshot decodes more reliably than a photo taken at an angle; if a photo fails, crop it so the code fills most of the frame and try again. Links are shown as text first and only opened when you click Open Link, so you can read where a code goes before you go there.

Worked example

A supplier's PDF invoice carries a QR code for payment. Screenshot the code, drop it in, and the decoded content shows the payment link and reference. Compare the reference with the invoice number before paying; a mismatch is the sign of a tampered invoice. A customer emails a photo of a competitor's flyer with a code on it: dropping the photo in shows it leads to a discount page, which is useful to know before anyone scans it with a phone that will open it immediately.

Common mistakes

Opening the link without reading it. QR codes are a common phishing route; the text is shown first for a reason.

Blurry or skewed photos. Retake straight-on, or crop tightly.

Inverted codes. A light pattern on a dark background may not decode; invert the image colours in an editor and retry.

Several codes in one image. Crop to the one you want.

When this tool is the wrong one

It reads codes that are already images on your device. For a code on paper in front of you, the phone camera is faster. Barcodes (the striped kind) are not QR codes and are not read here. To make a code, the QR Code Generator.

Good to know

Decoding happens in your browser; the image is not uploaded. A blurry or very small code may fail, in which case crop the image tighter around the code and try again. Treat decoded links from unknown sources with the same caution as any link in an email.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I scan a QR code from an image or screenshot?

Upload the image containing the QR code to the QR Code Reader, and it decodes the content instantly — no app installation needed.

Is there a free QR code scanner that works on both PC and mobile?

Yes, it works from an uploaded image file or your device's camera, on PC, Mac, and mobile browsers.

Does the QR reader upload my image to a server to decode it?

No, decoding happens client-side in your browser for privacy.