Skip to content

QR Code Scanner – Read QR Codes Online, Free

Point your camera at a QR code, or drop in a photo or screenshot, and see exactly what the code contains – a link, a Wi-Fi password, a contact card or plain text – before you act on it.

Scan from

Press Start camera and allow camera access when your browser asks. The video stays on your device.

Need to make your own code? Open the QR code generator

How to use the QR code scanner

  1. Choose Camera or Image or screenshot at the top of the tool.
  2. With the camera: press Start camera, allow access when your browser asks, and hold the code steady inside the frame. On a phone the back camera is used first; press Switch camera if you have more than one.
  3. With an image: drop a photo or screenshot on the upload area, click it to choose a file, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V.
  4. Read the Scan result. You see what kind of code it is, its fields with copy buttons and the full content. For a link, check the website name and press Open link only if you trust it.

Features

  • Two ways to scan: live camera on phones, tablets and laptops, or a saved image, photo or screenshot.
  • Paste to scan: copy a screenshot and paste it anywhere on the page – handy for QR codes in emails, PDFs and chat apps.
  • Knows what the code contains: links, Wi-Fi networks, contact cards (vCard and MECARD), email drafts, phone numbers, text messages, map locations and plain text.
  • Link safety checks: the website name is shown on its own, and extra warnings appear for http links, internationalised look-alike addresses, raw IP addresses and addresses containing an @ sign.
  • Copy anything: every field – a Wi-Fi password, a phone number, an email address – has its own copy button, plus one for the full content.
  • Quick actions: call a scanned number, start an email or text message, or open a location on OpenStreetMap.
  • Session history: every code you scan is listed below the result, so you can scan several in a row and go back to any of them. The list disappears when you close the page.

What the scanner shows for each type of code

Links show the destination website first, then the full address. Links are never opened for you; you decide with the Open link button, which opens a new tab.

Wi-Fi codes follow the common WIFI:S:network;T:WPA;P:password;; format. The scanner shows the network name, the password (unless it is an open network), the security type and whether the network is hidden. Backslash escapes such as \; and \, are turned back into normal characters.

Contact cards in vCard or MECARD format list the name, phone numbers, email addresses, organisation, job title, website, address, birthday and notes that the card contains.

Email, phone, SMS and location codes show the recipient, subject, message, number or coordinates, with a button that hands them to your email app, phone app, messaging app or map.

Anything else – a serial number, a ticket code, a sentence – is shown as plain text that you can copy.

Scanning tips

  • Hold the phone 15–30 cm from the code and let it focus for a second.
  • Avoid glare: tilt the code or the phone slightly if a light reflects off a glossy surface.
  • For small codes in a document, zoom in and take a screenshot rather than pointing the camera at the screen.
  • On a laptop, the built-in webcam works, but a phone camera usually focuses better on small print.

Why use Fileora's QR code scanner

Most phone cameras can read QR codes, but they often jump straight to a website before you have looked at the address. This scanner shows you everything first, highlights warning signs in links and lets you copy Wi-Fi passwords and contact details field by field. It also works on a computer, where scanning a code in a screenshot is otherwise awkward.

It is free, needs no app and no sign-up, and works in any modern browser on Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac. Your camera feed and images never leave your device.

Want to make a code of your own? The QR code generator creates codes for links, text, Wi-Fi and contacts. For product labels, the barcode generator draws EAN, UPC and Code 128 barcodes, and the WhatsApp link generator makes a chat link you can turn into a QR code.

Frequently asked questions

How do I scan a QR code from a screenshot or photo?

Choose Image or screenshot, then drop the picture onto the upload area or click to pick it. On a computer you can also copy a screenshot and press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac) anywhere on the page. The scanner looks for the code and shows its content straight away.

Why doesn't the camera start?

Your browser has to ask for permission first, and the page must be opened over https. If you blocked the camera earlier, click the camera or lock icon in the address bar, allow the camera for this site and press Start camera again. If another app such as a video call is using the camera, close it first.

Is it safe to open the link in a QR code?

Not always. Criminals stick fake QR codes over real ones on parking meters, posters and restaurant tables. The scanner never opens a link by itself: it shows the website name on its own line and warns you about unencrypted http links, look-alike addresses, bare IP addresses and addresses with an @ sign. Only press Open link when you recognise the site.

Can I see a Wi-Fi password from a QR code?

Yes. Wi-Fi codes are shown as a network name, password and security type, each with its own copy button. Special characters that the Wi-Fi format escapes, such as semicolons and commas in the password, are shown as the real characters so you can paste the password as it is.

Does the scanner upload my camera feed or images?

No. The video and any image you choose are processed in your browser on your own device. Nothing is uploaded, and the camera switches off when you press Stop camera, change to image mode or leave the page.

Can it read barcodes on products?

No, this tool reads QR codes only. Product barcodes such as EAN-13 and UPC are a different, one-dimensional format. You can, however, create those with our barcode generator.

Why can't it find the QR code in my image?

The code may be too small, blurry, cut off at the edges or photographed at a steep angle. Crop the picture so the code fills most of it, make sure all four corners are visible and try again. Codes with very low contrast or heavy logos on top can also be hard to read.

Can't find the tool you need, or something isn't working?

Tell us which tool you'd like next or what went wrong. We read every message, and requests decide what we build next.

Opens your email app. Please don't attach private files.