How to scan a QR code from a screenshot or photo

Why this is useful

Someone sends you a QR code in a chat. Or it is in an email, a PDF ticket, or a picture you saved. You cannot point your camera at your own screen. But you do not need to.

On an iPhone

1. Take a screenshot of the code, or save the picture to Photos.
2. Open the picture in Photos.
3. On recent iPhones, a small button appears when Photos finds text or a code in the picture. Tap it, or touch and hold the code itself.
4. A link or menu pops up. Read the link, then tap to open it.

If nothing appears, update your iPhone to the latest iOS. Older versions may not read codes in photos.

On an Android phone

1. Save the screenshot or picture.
2. Open it in Google Photos.
3. Tap Lens at the bottom of the screen.
4. Lens reads the code and shows the link. Tap it.

You can also open the Google app, tap the camera icon, and pick the picture from your gallery.

On a computer

• In Google Chrome, right-click the picture and choose to search it with Google. Google Lens will read the code.
• If the picture is a file, open it on screen, then scan it with your phone camera.

If it does not work

• Crop the picture so the code fills most of it. Small codes in a big screenshot are harder to find.
• Make sure the whole code is there, with a bit of white around it. A cut-off code cannot be read.
• Zoom in if the code was saved at a very low size. Very blurry codes may not be fixable.

Stay safe

A code in a surprise message can be a trick. Before you open the link, read it. Check that it goes to the real website. Never type passwords or card details on a page you reached from a code you did not expect. More tips in Are QR codes safe?

Sending a code to someone?

If you share a code on screen, send a sharp PNG and put the plain link under it too. Then people on a computer can just click the link.