Reading a QR code from an image
Not every QR code arrives in front of a camera. Codes turn up in email attachments, in PDFs, in screenshots sent by a colleague, and inside slide decks - all situations where pointing a phone at a screen is awkward and often fails because of glare or refresh flicker.
Uploading the image instead reads the pattern directly from the pixels, which is more reliable than photographing a display. The file never leaves your device; the decoding happens in your browser.
See the destination before you open it
A QR code is unreadable to a human, which is exactly what makes it a useful attack surface. A sticker placed over the code on a parking meter or a restaurant table can send people to a convincing payment page, and nobody can tell by looking.
This scanner shows you the decoded content as text and stops there. You read the domain, decide whether it is what you expected, and only then choose to open it - the small pause that makes the whole category of attack much harder to pull off.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this upload my images or camera feed?
- No. Decoding happens entirely in your browser. Camera frames and uploaded images never leave your device, and nothing is stored.
- Why does the scanner need camera permission?
- Only to read frames while you are actively scanning. Permission is requested at the moment you start the camera, not on page load, and no video is recorded or transmitted.
- Can I scan a QR code from a screenshot?
- Yes. Upload the image file and the code is read from the pixels directly, which is more reliable than photographing a screen.
- Why will my QR code not scan?
- The usual causes are low contrast, no clear margin around the pattern, a blurred or angled photograph, or a code printed too small for the distance. Try uploading the image instead of using the camera.