How to scan a QR code from a screenshot or photo
By Jessopradesh John Rose, Founder, QR Studio · Updated November 2026
Sometimes the QR code is already on your phone, in a screenshot, a WhatsApp image or a PDF, and you cannot point a camera at it. You can still read it. Here are the ways that work on each device.
On our QR code reader
Open the QR code reader, choose the image option and pick the screenshot or photo. It reads the code in your browser, so the picture is not uploaded. This works on any phone or computer.
On an iPhone
Open the picture in Photos and press and hold on the code. The iPhone offers to open it. You can also use the Camera app's Live Text, or add the Code Scanner to Control Centre.
On an Android phone
Open the picture in Google Photos and tap Lens. It finds the code and offers to open it. Many phones also let you do this from the screenshot preview.
On a computer
Save the image and drop it on the reader page. For a QR code on your screen, take a screenshot, then use the same image option.
If it will not read
A very small, blurry or cropped code may fail. Zoom in, crop close around the code and leave a clear border of blank space, then try again.