How to scan a QR code on iPhone

Open the Camera app and point it at the code: iPhones scan QR codes natively since iOS 11 (2017). Tap the banner to open the link. For a code already on your phone, long-press it in Photos, or add the Code Scanner to Control Centre for an in-app browser.

The Camera app is the scanner

Open Camera, hold the phone steady, and frame the code. Within about a second iOS recognises it and shows a banner with the destination; recent versions also overlay a small yellow link button on the code itself. Tap either to open it. This has been built in since iOS 11 (September 2017), no app, no download, and it works with both the rear and front cameras.

Two practical numbers: hold the phone within roughly 10× the code's width (a 2 cm code from inside 20 cm), and give the lens a second to focus before moving.

If nothing appears, check Settings → Camera → Scan QR Codes. It ships switched on, but it can be turned off, and an iPhone that "can't scan" usually turns out to have this toggle off. Everything else that stops a scan (glare, distance, contrast) is covered in the not-scanning checklist.

Scanning a code that is already on the phone

The camera cannot point at its own screen, so a code in a screenshot, an email or a chat needs the image route:

Save or screenshot the image so it is in Photos.
Open it and long-press the code, or tap the Live Text icon in the corner.
Tap the link that appears.

Live Text arrived with iOS 15 (2021) and needs an A12 chip or newer, iPhone XS/XR (2018) onwards. On an older device, upload the screenshot to a browser-based scanner instead; it decodes entirely in the browser, so the image is never uploaded anywhere. The full playbook, including why this problem exists at all, is on the same-phone scanning page.

The Control Centre Code Scanner

iOS also ships a dedicated Code Scanner, hidden by default:

Go to Settings → Control Centre and add Code Scanner.
Swipe down from the top-right corner and tap its icon.

It differs from the Camera in one useful way: links open in an in-app browser that disappears when you are done, rather than piling up tabs in Safari. It also has a torch button, which is the quickest fix for scanning in low light.

Safari does not scan

A regular point of confusion: Safari has no scan button, and you cannot "scan" a code from inside the browser. If a QR code appears on a web page you are reading, long-press the image and use Live Text on supported devices, or screenshot it and go through Photos as above.

Look before you tap

The banner shows the destination domain: read it before opening. A code on a parking meter or an unexpected sticker that leads to an odd domain is the classic quishing setup, and the safest habit is to check a suspicious code before opening it.

FAQ

Do I need an app to scan QR codes on an iPhone?

No. The Camera app has scanned QR codes natively since iOS 11 in 2017. Point the camera at the code and tap the banner. Third-party scanner apps add nothing for everyday use and are frequently ad-supported.

Why is my iPhone not scanning a QR code?

Check that Settings → Camera → Scan QR Codes is on. Then move closer (within about ten times the code's width) clean the lens, and tilt to avoid glare. If the code is on a screen, raise that screen's brightness.

How do I scan a QR code from a photo on my iPhone?

Open the image in Photos and long-press the code, or tap the Live Text icon. This needs iOS 15 and an iPhone XS/XR or newer; on older models, upload the image to a browser-based scanner instead.

Where is the Code Scanner on iPhone?

Add it via Settings → Control Centre, then swipe down from the top-right corner to reach it. Unlike the Camera app, it opens links in an in-app browser rather than leaving a Safari tab behind.