QR Reader

QR Reader

Updated August 17, 2026

QR code reader online. Decode a QR code from an image or your camera. See the payload instantly — nothing is uploaded.

Scan a QR code

Drag & drop an image

or click to browse • Max 20MB

Result

Upload a photo or use the camera. Decoding stays in this browser.

Features

  • Decode QR codes from a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or GIF on your device
  • Optional live camera scan — stops as soon as a code is found
  • Shows the raw payload and detected format
  • Opens http(s) links in a new tab when the payload is a URL
  • Also reads Data Matrix, Aztec, and PDF417 if they appear in the image
  • All decoding happens locally with ZXing

Common Use Cases

  • Recover the URL or text from a QR screenshot
  • Check what a printed code actually contains before you share it
  • Read a WiFi or vCard payload and copy it
  • Debug a code that will not scan on a phone by trying a cropped photo

What a QR reader actually sees

A reader locates the three finder patterns, samples the module grid, then applies Reed–Solomon error correction to recover the original bytes. Those bytes are interpreted as a string: a URL, WIFI:..., BEGIN:VCARD, mailto:, and so on.

Blur, glare, perspective, and a logo that is too large are the usual reasons a scan fails. Cropping tightly around the code and using a higher-resolution photo usually helps more than another app.

Examples

Valid - URL result
https://onedev.tools
Valid - WiFi result
WIFI:T:WPA;S:Cafe;P:secret;H:false;;
Invalid - Unreadable blurry photo
(no result)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my image not decode?

The code may be too small, too blurry, or cropped through a finder square. Try a tighter crop, more light, and a PNG instead of a heavily compressed JPEG.

Does the camera send video to a server?

No. Frames are decoded in the browser and the camera stops as soon as a payload is found.

Can this read barcodes too?

This page is tuned for QR and other 2D codes. Use the Barcode Reader for EAN, UPC, CODE128, and CODE39.

Tips

  • If a screenshot fails, crop to just the QR and try again.
  • Hold the camera steady; motion blur is the most common live-scan failure.
  • A WiFi payload can be pasted into notes even if your OS will not auto-join from a web page.

Common Mistakes

Photographing a screen at an angle so the finder squares distort
Expecting the browser to join WiFi for you — it can only show the payload
Uploading a photo of several codes at once without cropping