QR Code Reader

How do you decode a QR code from an image without opening it?

Choose, drop or paste a QR code image and click Decode image. The reader displays the decoded payload under Raw content. A recognized web address also gets Host and Full URL fields, so you can inspect the destination before selecting Open link. Reading the code does not automatically navigate to that address.

For example, a QR code containing https://example.com/menu?table=12 produces a link result with example.com as the host. The raw content retains the encoded address, including its query string. Use Copy beneath Raw content when you need that payload for comparison, documentation or another application. There is no need to photograph a screenshot with a second device: paste the screenshot directly into the reader.

What does the reader show for different QR payloads?

The reader classifies decoded content into eight result categories. Recognized prefixes determine the fields shown; unrecognized payloads remain text. Decoding extracts the content, while parsing separates that content into readable fields. The examples below describe payloads inside QR images, rather than text to enter into an input field.

Example QR payloads and their displayed results

Encoded content	Result	Fields or action
https://example.com/menu?table=12	Link	Host, Full URL, Open link
WIFI:T:WPA;S:Guest;P:samplepass;H:false;;	Wi-Fi network	Network name Guest, Security WPA, Hidden network No
mailto:[email protected]?subject=Menu	Email	To, Subject, Message, Send email
tel:+441234567890	Phone	Phone, Call
SMSTO:123:Hello	SMS	Phone 123, Message Hello, Send SMS
geo:41.01,28.97	Location	Latitude, Longitude, Open map
A vCard contact payload	Contact	Name, Organization, Phones, Emails, Download .vcf
Meeting room B	Text	Decoded text and Copy

For the Wi-Fi example, Show password reveals samplepass. The password is initially masked in both the Password field and Raw content. This masking affects display only: copying the password or raw payload still places the real value on your clipboard. To create a test image with your own network details, use the Wi-Fi QR Generator.

How do cropping and multiple QR results work?

After selecting an image, draw one crop region to restrict decoding to that area. Click Decode image after changing the crop; changing a selection clears the previous results. Clear crop removes the selection so the next decode uses the whole image. For keyboard control, focus the image and press Enter to add a region, use arrow keys to move it, Alt plus arrows to resize it, and Delete to remove it.

Native QR detection returns multiple codes when supported by the browser. The fallback returns the first successful code only. When location points are available, numbered boxes identify codes on the image. Focus or hover over a result, or select its Highlight code button, to highlight its box. If the fallback finds only one code in a crowded screenshot, select each code separately and decode each crop.

What should you try when no QR code is found?

Start with a clearer image or isolate the code using a crop. The selected area is scaled proportionally to a maximum longest side of 1600 pixels. For example, an uncropped 3200 by 2400 image becomes 1600 by 1200 for decoding. Cropping first gives a small code more of that working image area; this does not restore detail missing from the original photograph.

If native detection is unavailable or finds no result, the fallback tries eight combinations: full or half scale, zero or 90-degree rotation, and normal or inverted pixels. It stops after the first successful decode. These are decoding attempts, not a promise to recover unreadable content. The tool is QR-specific rather than a general 2D code decoder; it does not decode Data Matrix or Aztec symbols.

How do you scan with a camera instead of an image?

Select Scan with camera when the control is available and allow camera access. The Camera selector switches between available video inputs. Zoom and torch controls depend on capabilities reported by the selected camera and browser. If permission is denied or no camera is available, choose an image instead. Stop ends the camera stream, and a successful camera decode also stops scanning before showing results.

What stays local, and what happens when you open a result?

Image decoding uses a local image object, canvas pixel processing and either native QR detection or the local QR engine. The decoding path does not upload the image to a decoding service. The Content Security Policy permits connections only to this site; the decoder itself runs locally. Opening a link, email, phone, SMS or map action is a separate choice that hands the destination to the browser or an associated application.

Link warnings check five address features: HTTP, punycode host labels, IP-address hosts, a fixed list of short-link hosts, and embedded username or password information. These checks inspect the address string; they do not fetch the destination, follow redirects or certify a website as safe. Review the displayed host before opening unfamiliar links. Use the QR Code Generator to create another code, or explore the other generator tools.