A free QR code scanner online, with no app to install
This QR code scanner online reads QR codes and barcodes right in your browser. Use the camera on your phone or the webcam on your laptop, or scan a QR code from an image you already have: a screenshot, a photo, a JPG or PNG from WhatsApp or email. It works as a barcode scanner online too, so you can scan barcode from image files of a product label, a book or a shipping box.
There is nothing to download, no sign-up, and it is a QR code scanner without ads covering the result. The image and the camera feed never leave your device, so it is safe to scan codes that contain a WiFi password or payment details.
You can scan QR code online without app free of charge in Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox.
How to use the QR code scanner, step by step
Scan with your camera (phone or laptop)
- Open the Scan with camera tab.
- Pick a camera from the list (on a phone, the back camera; on a laptop, the webcam), then press Start camera and allow camera access when your browser asks.
- Hold the code inside the frame, about 15–30 cm away, until it is sharp. The result appears as soon as it is read.
- Press Stop when you are done, and the camera switches off.
QR code scanner from image (upload, drop or paste)
- Open the Upload image tab and choose a photo or screenshot, or drag and drop the file onto the page.
- Or copy a screenshot and press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac) to paste it straight in.
- Read the decoded text, then use the Copy button or open the link.
It accepts JPG, PNG, WebP and other common image files.
QR code scanner for PC and laptop
This is the easiest way to use a QR code scanner for PC. When someone sends you a QR code on your computer, you cannot point your laptop at its own screen, but you can take a screenshot and paste it here. That is how you scan QR code online on PC, with no separate QR code scanner for laptop or desktop to install.
If the code is on paper or on a phone, use the webcam instead. To scan QR code online on laptop webcams, open the camera tab, press Start camera and hold the code up. Windows and Mac laptops usually have no QR reader built in, so a QR code scanner online for laptop use fills that gap.
What the scanner shows you
A QR code is only text. The scanner decodes that text and then recognises what kind of text it is, so you see something useful instead of raw code:
- Link — a QR code scanner to link converter that shows the full URL before you open it, so you can check the domain first. This is the safest way to handle a QR code from an unknown source.
- WiFi — a code like
WIFI:T:WPA;S:HomeNet;P:secret123;;is shown as network name, security type and password, each with a copy button. That makes it a handy QR code scanner for WiFi password recovery on a laptop that has no camera app for joining networks. - UPI payment — a
upi://pay?pa=shop@okaxis&pn=Shop&am=250&cu=INRlink is shown as payee name, UPI ID and amount, so you can confirm who you are paying. - Contact card — a vCard (
BEGIN:VCARD…) is shown as name, phone, email and company. - Email, phone and SMS —
mailto:,tel:andSMSTO:codes are shown as the address or number. - Plain text — anything else is shown as text you can copy.
It also works as a QR code scanner for location codes: a Google Maps link or a geo: link appears as a link you can open in your maps app.
Scan barcodes online: supported formats
The same page reads 1D barcodes and 2D codes. You do not need to choose a format; the scanner detects it.
| Type | Formats read | Where you see them |
|---|---|---|
| 2D codes | QR Code, Data Matrix, Aztec, PDF417 | Links, payments, tickets, boarding passes, ID cards, medicine packs |
| Retail barcodes | EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E | Product packaging, books (ISBN as EAN-13) |
| Industrial barcodes | Code 128, Code 39, ITF, Codabar | Courier labels, cartons, inventory tags, library cards |
Use it as a barcode scanner online with camera on your phone, or as a barcode scanner online from image files when you only have a photo of the label. Either way, it is a free barcode scanner online, with no app to install.
What a product barcode number really tells you
Many people look for a barcode scanner online to check authenticity or to scan barcode online to find product prices. It is worth being honest about what a barcode can and cannot do.
A retail barcode such as EAN-13 holds only a number, for example 8901234567890. This scanner reads that number accurately. It does not look the number up in a price or product database, and no barcode scanner can prove a product is genuine by reading the barcode alone, because anyone can print a copy of a real barcode.
What does the 890 prefix mean?
The first digits of an EAN-13 barcode are a GS1 prefix. 890 means the number was issued by GS1 India, which is why people who scan barcode online in India so often see it. Other examples: 000–019 for GS1 US, 400–440 for Germany, 690–699 for China. The prefix shows where the company registered its barcode, not the country where the product was made. A product made in India can carry a non-Indian prefix, and the other way round.
How to use the number
- Search the number on a search engine or a shopping site to find the product listing.
- Check it against the number printed on the box, the bill and the brand's website.
- For authenticity, use the brand's own verification method (a hologram, a scratch code or its official app), not the barcode.
QR code scanner vs barcode scanner
A barcode scanner reads 1D barcodes: a row of bars storing a short number or code. A QR reader decodes a 2D grid of squares that can hold a full web link, a WiFi login or a contact card. QR codes follow the ISO/IEC 18004 standard and include error correction (up to 30% at level H), so they often scan even when slightly damaged. Hardware barcode guns in shops often cannot read QR codes, while camera-based scanners like this one read both.
QR code scanner not working? Try these fixes
- Camera does not start — allow camera permission in the browser's address bar, close other apps using the camera, and make sure the page is opened over https.
- Code will not focus — move the phone back a little. Most phone cameras cannot focus closer than about 10 cm.
- Screen glare or low light — tilt the code away from lights, or turn up the screen brightness if you are scanning a code on another screen.
- Photo is blurry or tiny — a photo works best when the code fills most of the image, so crop it or take a sharper photo. A screenshot is always better than a photo of a screen.
- Barcode not read — hold the camera parallel to the bars and include some blank space on both sides of the barcode.
- Colours are inverted or low contrast — codes need dark modules on a light background with a clear quiet zone around them. Very pale or decorative codes may not decode anywhere.
QR code scanner in iPhone and Android
The built-in camera on an iPhone reads QR codes since iOS 11, and the scanner Android phones include is usually part of the camera app or Google Lens. So why use an online QR code scanner? The built-in camera cannot read a code already on your screen, does not show WiFi passwords as text, and often opens links before you see them. A QR code scanner online on mobile browsers fills those gaps, and the same page works on a Windows or Mac laptop.
Common searches, answered
What is QR code scanner?
A QR code scanner is any camera app or tool that reads the pattern of a QR code and turns it back into the text stored inside. In plain words, a QR code scanner is simply a QR code reader. This page is one that runs in your browser.
What is QR code and how does it work?
A QR code is a square grid of black and white modules that stores text, such as a link or a WiFi login. The three large squares in the corners tell the scanner where the code is and which way up it is. How it works is simple: the image is turned into black and white, the grid is located, the modules are read as bits, error correction repairs damaged parts, and the result is decoded into text.
What is QR code used for?
Opening websites and menus, paying by UPI, joining WiFi, saving a contact, sharing a location, and checking tickets or boarding passes.
What is barcode scanning, and what is barcode scanner used for?
Barcode scanning means reading the bars on a label and turning them into a number or code. Shops use it at the till to look up the price, warehouses to track stock, couriers to follow parcels and libraries to issue books.
What makes the best QR code scanner?
The best QR code scanner shows the full link before opening it, keeps your images on your device, reads QR codes and barcodes, and works on laptops and phones. This one does all four.
Private by design
Decoding happens entirely inside your browser with JavaScript. Images you upload are not sent to any server, the camera feed is not recorded, and scan results are not stored. Close the tab and they are gone.
Need to make a code instead? Use the free QR code generator, create a product label with the barcode generator, share your network with a WiFi QR code, or accept payments with a UPI QR code generator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I scan a QR code from an image or screenshot?
Open the Upload image tab and pick the file, drag the image onto the page, or copy a screenshot and press Ctrl+V. This QR code scanner with image support shows the decoded text straight away. JPG, PNG and most common image formats work.
Can I scan a QR code on my laptop or PC without an app?
Yes. Open Scan with camera and press Start camera to use your webcam, or, if the QR code is on your own screen, take a screenshot and paste it here. You do not install any app.
Can I scan a barcode with my phone?
Yes. Open this page in your phone browser, go to Scan with camera, choose the back camera and press Start camera, then hold the barcode inside the frame. It reads EAN, UPC, Code 128, Code 39, ITF, Codabar and more.
How to scan barcode by phone without an app?
Use this online barcode scanner in your phone browser. It is a barcode scanner online camera tool, so you can scan barcode online without app downloads.
Can you read a barcode without a scanner?
Yes. Any phone or laptop camera can read a barcode with the right software, and a clear photo of the barcode works too. The digits printed under most retail barcodes are the same number the bars encode.
Can a barcode scanner check if a product is original?
No. A barcode only stores a number, and it can be copied. The scanner shows that number and you can search it, but to check authenticity use the brand's own verification method, such as a hologram or official app.
What does a barcode starting with 890 mean?
890 is the GS1 prefix for India. It means the barcode number was registered through GS1 India. It does not prove the product was made in India.
How do I see a WiFi password from a QR code?
Scan the WiFi QR code here, by camera or from a screenshot. WiFi details are shown as text with the network name and security type, with copy buttons for each.
How to get QR code scanner on Android?
Most Android phones already have one in the camera app or Google Lens. If yours does not, or you want to read a code from a screenshot, open this page in Chrome. It is free to use and needs no install.
Is it safe to scan QR codes online here?
Yes. Everything is decoded in your browser; images and camera video are not uploaded or saved. Links are shown in full before you open them, so you can spot a suspicious address.
Why is my QR code not scanning?
Usually it is focus, glare or size. Move the camera back a little, avoid reflections, and crop photos so the code is large. Codes with low contrast, inverted colours or no blank margin may not scan in any app.
Does this scanner save my scan history?
No. Results are not stored anywhere. Copy the text you need before closing the page.
Updated 2026-09-19