How to fix camera QR code scanner not working on iPhone or iPad
The built-in camera app on iPhone running iOS 11 or later can automatically detect, highlight, and scan a QR code. However, if your iPhone camera isn’t able to recognize, read, or scan QR codes, here are the quick solutions that will fix the issue in no time.
Enable QR code scanner
By default, the Quick Response (QR) code scanner is enabled on iPhone and iPad. However, if you or someone with access to your iPhone turned it off, follow these steps to enable the QR scanner again from the camera settings.
Here’s how to turn on the built-in iOS QR code scanner:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll down and tap Camera.
- Enable Scan QR Codes.
From now on, when you point your iPhone camera at a QR code it will read the code and show you the prompt to take the proper action (usually it’s visiting a website).
Be in Photo mode
There is no special mode or toggle inside the iPhone Camera app to scan QR codes. However, you must be in PHOTO mode for the built-in scanner to detect and scan the QR code. If you’re in Portrait, Video, Time-Lapse, Slo-Mo, Pano, or any other mode, the camera won’t identify and scan the QR code.
Simply swipe left or right and make sure you’re in Photo mode. After that, point the iPhone towards a QR code and it will scan it in a couple of seconds.
Point the camera properly
The iPhone Camera app should have no problem identifying and reading a QR code that’s big, bright, and clear. However, at times, the QR code you try to scan may be unclear, blurred, or tiny. In these cases, try to zoom the QR code if it’s on a screen. Turning up the brightness of the screen (with the QR code) should also help.
If the QR code is printed on paper, try a few different positions while scanning it. For example, take the iPhone near, a bit far, etc. In a couple of tries, the scan should be successful.
Important: Sometimes, you may not see the button or link to take action on the camera viewfinder. However, if you tap the tiny code scanner button, it will show you various relevant options.
Not all codes can be scanned
There can be some QR codes that can only be scanned inside the appropriate apps. For example, if there is a QR code generated by a payment app, then most likely only that app (or ones supported) can scan that QR code. When you point your iPhone camera on such a code, it may not add a yellow highlighted border or detect the code.
Force quit the Camera app and reopen it
If the iPhone QR code scanner is not working, closing and reopening the Camera app from the background should help.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen or double press the Home button to see all open apps. Next, drag the Camera app card all the way up to close it. After waiting for about 5 seconds, open the Camera app again and point it towards a QR code.
Restart your iPhone
Sometimes certain things may not work correctly simply because you haven’t restarted your device in a long time. If your iPhone Camera QR code isn’t working, go ahead and switch off your iPhone. After waiting for about 30 seconds, switch it on. Once that’s done, the scanner problems should be fixed on your iPhone.
Use the Control Center QR code scanner
As mentioned, there is no toggle in the Camera app to enter QR scanner mode, nor can you force it to scan one. However, you can add the QR code scanner button to iOS Control Center. The sole purpose of this button is to scan a QR code. It doesn’t take pictures or anything. So, if you repeatedly fail to scan a QR code using the iPhone camera, this should be helpful.
Here’s how to add QR code scanner to the Control Center:
- Open the Settings app on iPhone or iPad.
- Tap Control Center.
- Select the green plus button for Code Scanner.
Open the Control Center and choose the code scanner button to scan a QR code successfully. Tap the flashlight icon if the light around the QR code is insufficient.
Update your iPhone
Updating your iPhone to the latest version of iOS will take care of the problem if it’s caused due to existing software bugs. Go to iPhone Settings General Software Update to download and install the most recent version of iOS available for your iPhone.
Reset all settings
Finally, if nothing works for you (and you have tried a few different QR codes), that means there is a bigger problem. Go ahead and reset all iPhone settings, which should fix the QR code issues.
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How to Scan a QR Code in a Picture or Photo on Your iPhone Screen
Scanning a QR code on an iPhone is easy. Open your phone’s built-in Camera app, point the camera towards the code, and you see the contents of the code on your phone’s screen. However, things are different when your QR code is saved as a picture in your phone’s Camera Roll.
Luckily, there are ways to scan a QR code from a picture in your iPhone’s gallery, too. You can use a few third-party workarounds to do this task, as we’ll explain below.
Save the QR Code Photo to Your iPhone’s Camera Roll
To use the below methods, your QR code images must be available in the Photos app on your iPhone. If you want to scan a QR code on a website, save that image or take a screenshot of that image so that the code is available in Photos.
In the methods below, you’ll import your QR code picture into various tools to see the contents of the code.
Scan a QR Code From a PIcture in Photos on iPhone
You can scan QR codes from your photos in the Photos app if you’ve installed the Google app on your iPhone. You basically share your photo with the Google app, the app scans the code, and then you see the result on your screen.
- Download and install the Google app (free) on your iPhone.
- Launch Photos and select the picture containing a QR code.
- Tap the share icon at the bottom-left corner of the photo.
Search with Google Lens width=971 height=1024 /
- Choose Search With Google Lens from the share menu.
- Google will display the result of the scan on your screen.
Scan a QR Code in a Picture With Google Photos on iPhone
In addition to using Google Photos as your photo manager, you can use the app to scan your phone’s QR codes as well. The app has a built-in QR code scanner that you can use to view the contents of your codes.
If you don’t have the app installed on your phone, you’ll have to visit the App Store and get the app first. The app is completely free to use.
- Launch Google Photos (free) on your iPhone.
- Find the QR code photo you’d like to scan and tap that photo.
- When your photo opens in full-screen, tap the Lens icon at the bottom.
If your scanned QR code contains a web link, you’ll see options like Website, Copy URL, and Share to access the link, copy the link to your clipboard, or share the link with someone.
Scan a QR Code in a Photo With a Website on iPhone
If you don’t want to install a third-party app just to scan a QR code, you have websites that you can use to scan codes without installing anything. On these sites, you upload the image containing your QR code, and the site processes the image and then shows you the contents of the code.
Web QR is one of these free sites that you can use, and here’s how the site works:
- Launch a web browser on your iPhone and access the Web QR site.
- The site will ask you to enable camera permission. Since you don’t want to scan codes with your iPhone’s camera, deny the permission by tapping Cancel.
- Tap the camera icon to import the QR code image from your Camera Roll.
- Choose the picture that contains your QR code.
- Back on the site, you’ll see the scan result right below the uploaded image.
To copy the contents of the QR code, tap and hold on the result and select Copy from the menu.
Scan a QR Code in an Image With Simple QR Code Reader on iPhone
If you have to scan QR codes from images every now and then, installing a dedicated QR code reader app on your iPhone is a good idea.
One of the free apps to do your task is Simple QR Code Reader. With this app, you can import QR code photos from your photo library and get the results within the app.
Here’s how to use that app on your iPhone:
- Download and install the Simple QR Code Reader (free) app on your iPhone.
- Launch the newly installed app by tapping QR Scanner on your iPhone’s home screen.
- Tap Scan at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose the QR code photo you’d like to scan.
- Your selected photo will open in full-screen. Tap Choose at the bottom-right corner to import the photo into the app.
If this app doesn’t work for you, or you’d prefer another app, many apps are available on the Apple App Store. Simply search for “QR Code Reader” on the App Store, and you’ll find several that serve the purpose. However, note that not all apps offer the option to scan QR codes from your iPhone’s Camera Roll.
Scan Away the QR Codes in Your Photos on Your iPhone
If you ever receive a QR code as an image or see one on the web, use one of the methods above to scan that code on your iPhone. You don’t need a separate device to transfer the code to and then use your iPhone’s camera. We hope the guide helps you out.
How To Scan A QR Code With Your iPad And iPhone?
In early 2018, the tech giant Apple rolled out is mind-blowing features iOS 12. Scan QR code on iPad and Phone was one the features that were added to bring the Apple users experience to the next level. This feature is not only capable of making your life easier but also comes handy to get information regarding tickets, coupons, Product ingredients, etc. over, it comes with inherent QR Code recognition which let you scan the QR code with the help of your smartphone camera senselessly. By scanning a QR code, you can gather the information about a thing before buying it in less than a couple of seconds.
In this post, we are going to discuss how to scan a QR code with your iPad and iPhone. So, let’s get started!
What Do Understand by QR Code?
QR code stands for Quick Response code which is a 2-dimensional square barcode consisting of an array of white and black squares that is designed to read by a machine to gain the detailed information about the product like price and ingredients etc. QR code keeps the encoded data and URLs which is readable with the help of your mobile camera. In the shopping malls, this QR code is read by the handheld scanner wherein it is possible to get your hands of the information by using your smartphone camera as well.
Why Is It Important to Scan QR Code?
Quick Response codes have gained huge popularity in the last decade. However, it is a useful way which is easy to understand and use with the help of your smartphone. Android users can download any third-party apps of their choice to enjoy the advantages of QR code in the day to day lives. Wherein, iPhone users those have iOS 12 can use the built-in feature to enjoy the perks of it. In case, you are using the outdated or previous version then you can download and install the apps from Google Play Store and App Store.
If you are using iPhone and you have iOS 12, then you can easily get the work done.
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How to Scan A QR Code with Your iPad and iPhone?
This method will help you to scan your QR code without downloading any third-party app on your iPad and iPhone. QR code features have been added in the latest update of iOS 12 iPad and iPhone. Follow the below steps to learn how to scan a QR code with your iPad and iPhone.
Step 1: Firstly, you need to open your Control Center, you can slide up from the bottom to top from home screen.
Step 2: In the latest update of iOS 12, In the control center, you will notice the last option which resembles the QR code. You need to tap on it.
Step 3: To scan the QR code your mobiles default camera will be activated. You can also access it manually from Settings.
Step 4: Now, you need to point your camera on the QR code and you will notice the Code appears on your screen as well. If the code is completely scanned, then you will get a notification which will open in the browser. This link will contain the whole dialed information about the product.
Step 5: In case, your camera face issues while scanning the code then you need to make sure you try to scan the QR code in the adequate lighting. You can also Zoom in to the QR code to get the scanning done quickly.
Step 6: Now, all you need to do is, click on the link that is displayed on your iPhone and get the detailed information that is stored with the QR code.
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Now, you have successfully learned how to scan a QR code with your iPad and iPhone with iOS 12. If you are using iOS 11 or prior versions, you may also update the device and meanwhile use the third-party QR scanner apps.
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How to Scan QR Code with iPhone or iPad
QR codes are a thing again. Once very popular, people stopped using QR codes before a resurgence over the last year saw the digital information labels become important again. Android tablets and smartphones have been able to scan QR code for years, but Apple was behind the curve. Indeed, it’s only recently Cupertino added the functionality to iPhones and iPads with the release of iOS 11. If you are not running that iOS version because your device is not compatible, there is no in-built way to scan QR code. That may be a problem because the codes are useful for a lot of things, including buying tickets, finding contact info, viewing links, and more. In this guide, we will show you the two very easy ways to unlock the power of QR code scanning on your iPhone or iPad.
Method 1: Use the default app to scan QR code (starting from iOS 11)
Many millions of people with iPhones and iPads have upgraded to iOS 11. Apple has good adoption of new software versions, and by January 2018 iOS 11 was on over 65% of all iPhones and iPads. With the launch of the software, Apple finally relented and included QR code scanning as standard in its camera technology. That means users can simply use their device to scan QR codes, without the need to download a third-party app. What’s more, the process is very simple as we found out while testing on an iPhone 8 Plus and an iPad Pro 10.5: Step 1. Open the camera on an iPhone or iPad Step 2. Hold the camera up to the desired QR code Step 3. The camera app can automatically detect codes without the user needing to press the shutter. (Remember, you will need to have a connection through either mobile signal or Wi-Fi.) Step 4. Once the code is scanned, a notification will appear. Pressing the notification will take you to the QR code destination via a web browser.
As mentioned, most users will have a device compatible for iOS 11. If your iPhone or iPad is not on the software version and is compatible, you should update to get the QR scanning feature. The devices compatible with iOS 11 are iPhones starting from the fifth series.
Method 2: Download a QR code scanner app for iPhone
If you are running an iOS device that will not update to iOS 11, your options are limited in terms of a built-in QR code reader. Apple included QR reading functionality in its Wallet app for digital payment purposes, but that does not help people who scan QR code for company information, purchases in an online store, or to download data. Wallet would scan some codes, but only those it considered “passes,” while all other codes returned an error message. There’s also the small fact that Apple Wallet does not run on iPad and is unavailable in the App Store for the tablet. Like most problems on iOS, there is a third-party app that can come to the rescue. In the App Store there are dozens, if not hundreds of QR code scanner apps for iPhone from third-party developers. We had an old iPad Mini running iOS 10.2 lying around so decided to test out QR Code, which adds a scanning functionality to the camera. As you may expect, the app does what it says on the tin. When you first open QR Code, you will need to give the app permission to use the iPhone or iPad camera. Once the permission is granted, you just need to point the camera screen at the QR code. This is trickier on an iPad compared to an iPhone, but the scanner will eventually line up and automatically read the code and provide a notification. Tapping the notification will bring you to the code destination.
It is worth pointing out that QR Code is certainly not the only app that will get the job done. There are numerous third-party apps that each offer a similarly quick and efficient way to scan QR code, so we suggest you take a quick look through the App Store to find the best for you.
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