QR Code Reader
How it works
Drop a photo or screenshot containing a QR code, click to pick a file, or paste an image from the clipboard (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V). The tool locates the code in the image, decodes it, and shows you what is inside, with no camera involved and nothing sent anywhere.
The decoded content is classified automatically. A link shows an Open button; a Wi-Fi QR code is unpacked into network name, security type and password with a one-click copy, which is what you need when someone shares their Wi-Fi as a QR sticker and you are on a laptop that cannot scan it. Email (mailto:), phone (tel:), SMS and vCard contact codes are labelled too, and anything else is shown as plain text.
Decoding happens with a pure-JavaScript QR decoder running in your browser tab. The image is drawn to an invisible canvas, scanned pixel by pixel, and discarded. It is never uploaded, which matters precisely because Wi-Fi passwords and personal contact data are the most common things inside QR codes.
If a code will not read: crop the image so the QR fills more of the frame, make sure the print is not blurred or curved, and check the contrast (dark modules on a light background scan best, inverted codes may fail). Screenshots of screens decode more reliably than photos of paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a Wi-Fi password out of a QR code?
- Yes, and it is the most common use. Wi-Fi QR codes contain a standard WIFI: payload with the network name (SSID), security type and password. Upload or paste the image and the tool shows all three fields with a copy button for the password. It only reads what is encoded in the code itself; it cannot recover the password of a network from thin air.
Do I need a camera or a phone?
- No, that is the point of this tool. It reads QR codes from images: screenshots, WhatsApp photos, PDFs you screenshotted, pictures taken with another device. If you can get the code into an image file or the clipboard, it can be decoded on any laptop or desktop.
Is the image uploaded to a server?
- No. The image is decoded by JavaScript inside your browser tab (the jsQR library on a canvas) and never leaves your machine: DevTools → Network shows zero requests during decoding. That is deliberate, because QR codes often contain Wi-Fi passwords and contact details.
Why can't it find a QR code in my image?
- The usual causes are that the code is too small in the frame (crop tighter), the photo is blurry or taken at an angle, the contrast is poor, or the quiet zone (the white margin around the code) is cut off. Screenshots decode almost always; photos of curved or reflective surfaces are the hardest. Try cropping so the QR takes up most of the image.
What kinds of QR content does it recognise?
- Links (http/https), Wi-Fi credentials (WIFI:), email addresses (mailto:), phone numbers (tel:), SMS (sms:/SMSTO:), vCard contacts, and free text. The raw decoded string is always available with a copy button, whatever the type.
Can it read barcodes too?
- No, QR codes only. Linear barcodes (EAN, Code 128) and other 2D formats (Data Matrix, Aztec, PDF417) use different symbologies and are out of scope for this tool.