How to scan a QR code from a photo

Decoding from the gallery

A QR code in a saved photo (a snap of a poster, a menu, a conference badge) decodes the same way on every platform: hand the image to a decoder instead of the camera.

• iPhone: open the photo in Photos, long-press the code or tap the Live Text icon, then tap the link. Needs iOS 15 and an iPhone XS/XR or newer.
• Android: open the photo in Google Photos and tap the Lens icon, or share the image to Google Lens from any gallery app.
• Computer: drag or upload the file into a browser-based scanner. It decodes in the browser (the photo never leaves your machine), and shows the raw text before you open anything.

Screenshots decode almost every time because they are pixel-perfect. Photos are the hard case, because a camera adds angle, blur, glare and resolution problems that a screen grab never has. If it came from a screenshot instead, see the screenshot page.

Why a photo will not decode

In rough order of likelihood:

Problem	What it does to the decoder
Code too small in frame	Each module (square) needs about 3 pixels minimum; a code that is 5% of a 12 MP photo is often below that
Steep angle	The grid becomes a trapezoid; beyond roughly 30–40° off-axis most decoders give up
Motion blur / missed focus	Module edges smear together, so thresholding fails
Glare	A highlight burns a white patch across modules: data loss, not noise
Low contrast	Shadows or tinted lighting push dark and light modules toward each other

The rescue sequence

Work through these in order, retrying the decode after each step:

1. Crop to just the code plus a small margin. This raises the code's share of the pixels and removes background clutter that can distract detection.
2. Straighten it. Any photo editor's perspective or skew tool helps; getting the code roughly square-on is often the single decisive fix.
3. Boost contrast hard. Push the image toward pure black-and-white: decoders threshold on luminance, so exaggerating the difference is safe. Greyscale first if your editor allows it.
4. Re-upload to the scanner after each change rather than assuming the first failure was final, different preprocessing changes the outcome.

If the code is physically damaged (torn, scratched, faded) the game changes from image cleanup to error-correction tactics, covered on the damaged code page.

When to give up and rescan

A photo is a lossy copy. If you can return to the original code, a second photo taken square-on, close, and without flash glare beats twenty minutes of editing. Fill roughly a third of the frame with the code, hold still, and tap to focus on it. And if the original itself will not scan even in person, the problem is the code, not your photos: start with the not-scanning checklist.

FAQ

Can I scan a QR code from a picture in my gallery?

Yes. On iPhone, long-press the code in Photos or use Live Text. On Android, open the image in Google Photos and tap the Lens icon. On a computer, upload the file to a browser-based scanner.

Why won't a QR code in a photo scan?

The usual causes are the code being too small in the frame, a steep angle, blur, or glare. Crop tightly to the code, straighten the perspective, and boost the contrast, retrying after each step.

How many pixels does a QR code need to decode?

As a rule of thumb, at least 3 pixels per module. A version 3 code is 29 modules across, so it wants roughly 90 pixels of width in the image, cropping helps because it raises the code's share of the picture.

What is the best way to photograph a QR code so it scans?

Square-on, close enough that the code fills about a third of the frame, focused on the code, and without flash, flash glare burns out modules. A steady, well-lit shot decodes on the first try far more often than an edited bad one.