DECODE Look before you open
QR code scanner
Read a QR code from a screenshot, a photo or your camera and see exactly what it contains, in plain words, before anything opens. Links are shown as text only.
1Scan from
Drop an image here, or paste one with Ctrl/⌘ + V
Screenshots, photos (PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF) and SVG files.
Camera frames are decoded in this tab and are never recorded or sent anywhere.
2What the code says
How to scan a QR code safely
Drop or paste a screenshot, choose a photo, or start the camera and hold the code inside the frame. The scanner decodes it on your device with two open-source decoders (jsQR and ZXing) and then explains what it found:
- Links: the real website name, decoded from international (punycode) form, plus warnings for plain http, bare IP addresses, link shorteners, tracking parameters and the “user@host” trick that disguises the real destination.
- Wi-Fi: network name, security type and password (hidden until you choose to show it).
- Contacts, email, SMS, calls, map pins and events: each field listed, so you know what your phone would do.
- Two-factor setup codes (
otpauth://): flagged, because sharing them hands over your login codes.
Nothing is ever opened for you. Copy the text if you decide to use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the camera image uploaded?
No. Frames from the camera are decoded in this browser tab and are never recorded or sent. The camera stops as soon as a code is found, when you press stop, or when you leave the page.
Why does my photo not scan?
Crop closer to the code, avoid glare and blur, and keep the whole code including its margin in the picture. iPhone HEIC photos only open in Safari; take a screenshot of them elsewhere.
Can it read barcodes too?
This scanner reads QR codes only. To make barcodes, use the barcode generator.