Before Open

Scan a QR code from an image or screenshot

Choose a screenshot, photo or saved image of a QR code and see what the code contains before you open it: a web address and its domain, Wi-Fi details, a phone number or text.

The image is read on your device and never uploaded. This page shows what is in the code; it does not open it.

The reader needs JavaScript, which is off or blocked in this browser. Turn it on for this page to read a code. The rest of this site works without it.

How to read a QR code from a screenshot

  1. Take a screenshot of the code, or save the image you were sent.
  2. On this page, choose the image. On a phone, pick it from your photos. On a computer, you can also paste the screenshot or drag the image here.
  3. Read what the code contains. For a web address, check the domain first: it is the part that tells you whose site it is.
  4. Open the link only if the domain belongs to who the code claims to be from. To be sure, type the business's address yourself instead of using the code.

Why read a code without opening it

A phone camera cannot scan a code that is on the same phone's screen, so people forward screenshots, or get codes in WhatsApp messages, emails and PDF invoices. Many phones can read a code in a photo, for example through Google Lens on Android or the Photos app on iPhone, but they usually offer to open the link straight away. This page only shows the content, with warnings about addresses that are built to mislead. Our guide to fake QR codes explains the scams, and the guide to checking a link explains how to read an address.

Questions and answers

Is my image uploaded anywhere?

No. The image is read in your browser, and the page's security policy blocks every network connection, so the image and the code's content cannot leave your device. Nothing is kept after you close the page.

Does this tell me whether a link is safe?

Not on its own. It shows the address and warns about common tricks, such as look-alike letters and short links, but a dangerous site can have an ordinary-looking address. Judge by the domain: if it does not belong to the business or service the code claims to be from, do not open it.

Why was no code found?

The code may be cut off, blurry, too small in the image or missing its blank margin. Crop the image to just the code, or take a sharper photo straight on. A stylized code with a large logo or unusual colors can also fail. The reader finds one code per image.

Can it read a code with a Wi-Fi password?

Yes. It shows the network name, the security type and the password, so you can type them yourself on a device that cannot scan the code.

Which image formats work?

PNG, JPEG, WebP and GIF work in every current browser. HEIC photos from an iPhone open only in some browsers; if one does not, take a screenshot of it. When you choose a photo on an iPhone, it is usually converted to JPEG for you.

Can I make a QR code here too?

Yes. Our QR code generator makes static codes that never expire, also on your device.