# Which phones can scan QR codes natively

> Every iPhone on iOS 11 (2017) or later scans QR codes from the Camera app, and effectively every Android phone since Android 9 scans via the camera or Google Lens. In practice any smartphone sold since about 2018 scans natively; only feature phones still need help.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/scanning/which-phones-can-scan-qr-codes-natively · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, no signup.

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## The compatibility table

"Natively" here means: scanning works with software the phone shipped with, no
downloads, no setup beyond possibly flipping a toggle.

| Device class | Native scanning | Since |
|---|---|---|
| **iPhone** | Yes, Camera app | iOS 11, September **2017** (iPhone 5s and later could install it) |
| **iPad** | Yes: Camera app, same as iPhone | iOS 11, 2017 |
| **Pixel and most Android** | Yes, camera and/or Google Lens integration | rolled out **2017–2018**; safe shorthand: Android 9+ |
| **Samsung Galaxy** | Yes, camera (Scan QR codes switch) plus quick-panel scanner | recent One UI versions |
| **Any Android 13+** | Yes, dedicated quick-settings QR tile | Android 13, **2022** |
| **KaiOS feature phones** | Partially, via apps, not the bare camera viewfinder | varies by model |
| **Basic feature phones** | No, no decoding software at all | n/a |

The one-line summary for planning purposes: **effectively every smartphone sold since
about 2018 scans QR codes out of the box.**

## Why the Android date is fuzzy and the iPhone date is not

Apple ships one camera app, so native scanning has a single birthday: iOS 11. Android's
scanning arrived through **Google Lens** integration and OEM camera apps, each on its
own schedule, which is why sources quote anything from Android 8 to Android 10.
The practical resolution: any Android with Google apps can scan via Lens even where the
camera app itself does not react, so the [Android routes page](/docs/scanning/how-to-scan-a-qr-code-on-android)
matters more than the version number.

## The long tail, honestly

- **Old smartphones (pre-2017).** An iPhone stuck below iOS 11 or an Android without
  Lens needs a scanner app, or a [browser-based scanner](/scan) if the browser is modern
  enough to upload a photo.
- **Feature phones.** KaiOS devices (the modern feature-phone OS) can scan through apps;
  basic handsets cannot scan at all. If your audience includes them, print a short URL
  next to the code: the case is made on
  [scanning on feature phones](/docs/scanning/qr-scanning-on-feature-phones).
- **Enterprise handhelds.** Warehouse and retail devices scan QR codes when fitted with
  a 2D imager rather than a laser, a hardware distinction covered in
  [hardware scanners and QR](/docs/scanning/hardware-barcode-scanners-and-qr).

## What this means if you are printing codes

For a general consumer audience in 2026, you can assume the phone can scan, device
capability stopped being the bottleneck years ago, which is part of why
[QR adoption recovered so strongly](/docs/basics/are-qr-codes-still-relevant). The
failures that remain are situational: code too small for the distance, poor contrast,
glare. Those are your responsibility, not the phone's, size the code with the
[size calculator](/size-calculator) and pair on-screen codes with a
[visible link fallback](/docs/design/qr-code-next-to-a-short-url-fallback).

## FAQ

### Can all phones scan QR codes?
All current smartphones can. iPhones scan natively since iOS 11 (2017), Android via the
camera or Google Lens since roughly 2018. Basic feature phones cannot; KaiOS devices can
with an app.

### When did phones start scanning QR codes without an app?
Apple added it in iOS 11 in September 2017. Android gained it gradually through Google
Lens and OEM camera apps across 2017–2018, and Android 13 added a dedicated
quick-settings scanner tile in 2022.

### Can old phones scan QR codes?
Smartphones from before about 2017 usually need a scanner app. Any device with a modern
browser can instead upload a photo of the code to a browser-based scanner, which
requires nothing to be installed.

### Do I still need to worry about people who cannot scan?
Only for audiences with feature phones or where no phone may be present at all. The
standard mitigation costs nothing: print a short, readable URL next to the code so the
code is a convenience rather than the only path.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/scan
- https://useqr.app/url