How to Scan QR Codes with iPhone or iPad

Oct 10, 2017 - 11 Comments

Read QR Code on iPhone or iPad

Wondering how you can scan QR codes with iPhone or iPad? Wonder no more, because the iPhone and iPad now include native QR code reading built directly into the camera app, allowing you to scan QR codes quickly using an iOS device and without having to download any third party software.

QR codes are commonly encountered in the outside world, they typically look like a square of some scattered pixelated black blocks against a white background, and they are often used to redirect people to websites, information about products or services, download apps or media, amongst other functions.


For the iPhone or iPad to have native QR code scanning capabilities, you’ll need iOS 11 or later installed on the device. If you don’t have iOS 11 but you still want to scan QR codes, you can scan QR codes with Chrome, or with third party apps. Beyond that, it’s remarkably simple to use the feature.

How to Scan & Read QR Codes on iPhone or iPad

Here is how to scan and read QR codes in iOS and iPadOS with the native QR code scanning capability.

  1. Open the Camera app on the iPhone or iPad, or swipe to open Camera from the device lock screen
  2. Point the camera viewfinder at the QR code you wish to scan
  3. Read a QR code with iPhone or iPad camera

  4. Hold the camera steady for a moment until a little notification pops up on the top of the screen demonstrating the action of the scanned QR code, and tap on that notification to perform the action (visit a website, app store, etc)
  5. Tap the QR code action notification after QR code read by iOS

Note you do not need to press the capture or shutter button, just pointing the camera and holding it steady at the QR code is sufficient to read it with iPhone or iPad.

In the example here, a QR code is used to direct the QR code scanner to a website (osxdaily.com), and thus tapping on the notification at the top of the screen will open the website in Safari on the iPhone or iPad.

Try it out yourself, it’s very simple. If you want a sample QR code to scan for testing purposes, try opening your iPhone or iPad camera (with iOS 11 or later installed on the device) and then point it at this image on screen:

QR Code for OSXDaily.com

You’ll soon see an alert pop-up near the top of the display, and tapping on that will open this website.

The biggest potential obstacles for scanning QR codes with an iPhone or iPad is usually the lighting where the QR code is located, or if the camera is unsteady and blurry, in either case then the QR code will not be properly identified or read. Just keep the camera steady and make sure there is enough light on the QR code and it should work fine.

How can I make a QR code?

The next obvious question is how to make your own QR codes. Fortunately there are many free services and apps to do this, one example is a website called “GoQR.me” and another is Scan.me”, they’re both free to use via the web and simple to use.

As mentioned before, if you don’t have iOS 11 or newer on the iPhone or iPad but you still wish to scan QR codes, you can use Chrome for iOS to scan them (yes the web browser), or a third party app like Scan.

Do you use the QR code scanning feature on iPhone and iPad? It’s pretty handy, and for many users it beats using a third party app. Try it out yourself and let us know what you think in the comments.

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Posted by: Paul Horowitz in iPad, iPhone, Tips & Tricks

11 Comments

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  1. Rosa Aksentowicz says:

    I have already Microsoft Edge instead of Safari, with all my bookmarks – at first I didn’t believe it, but i looked it and recognized it … what a surprise!
    Thank you very much for your wonderful Supports!
    Wishing you and your Family Happy Christmas 🎄 and super New Year🎊🎉🙏
    Best regards from 🇦🇹

  2. Ian Cann says:

    Ben the code would be a mirror image ie back to front. Not helpful.

  3. Ian Cann says:

    ???? How do I point my camera at the image on the screen when it’s the same device??? Is this yet another trick I have missed.

  4. Rosie Lukaszczyk says:

    I just dont like QR codes, so i don’t need of this, Thanks :)

  5. Bobber says:

    Unfortunately, the Camera app only displays the website, not the full URL. If you want to see that, you’ll need to keep a third party QR reader app around.

  6. Ronan says:

    Thanks. This’s really useful tip.

  7. reg says:

    Thank you so much this is very useful, I use this app to create and read QR code, Try it it’s very nice Qrafter.

  8. RM says:

    thank you a million times over, I had no idea how to do this!!

  9. Dun says:

    I used to ask Siri to ‘read this QRcode’ and she would do it. You method is even easier.

  10. Dina says:

    I thank you very much, I surely did not know that this feature existed on the iPhone.
    I tried it on my iPhone 5S and it surely worked, thanks again!

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