Learn how to scan QR codes on images saved in your iPhone’s Photos app or sent via iMessage or WhatsAp without using another device or printing them out.
Scanning a QR code on stickers at stores or computer screens is easy. All you need to do is fire up the camera on your smartphone and point it at the QR code. Confusion arises when the QR code is part of an image in the built-in Photos app or shown on a Safari page.
In those situations, use the methods below to scan the code and take action, like opening the underlying URL, saving contact details or making a payment.
Tip: QR codes received via email or messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Apple’s built-in Messages app must first be saved to the Photos app. Some of the methods below (like Google Lens) also work on Android phones.
1. Use the built-in Photos app
The built-in Live Text feature in iOS can not only recognize text in pictures and video frames but also detect QR codes on images.
- Open the Photos app and tap any image with a QR code.
- If iOS detects a QR code or text in this photo, you’ll see a yellow Live Text button. in the bottom-right corner of the image. Hit the icon should instantly highlight the QR code, along with any recognized text.
- Tap the highlighted QR code and choose an appropriate action from the menu, like “Open in Safari.”
Tip: Or, you can also touch and hold the QR code directly to bring up this menu even faster.
Scan payment QR codes saved in the Photos app or sent via WhatsApp
Payment QR codes are massively popular in many countries. You can use the Live Text feature in the Photos app to scan the QR code and make a quick payment.
- With the payment QR code saved to the built-in Photos app, open the image and hit the Live Text button, then tap the QR code (or simply touch and hold the QR code directly)
- You’ll see a list of apps, so choose an appropriate app from the list to complete the payment. As evidenced by the screenshots below, I have the option to use Google Pay or other fintech/bank apps to make the payment.
2. Use third-party apps
The Photos method is easy as you don’t need to download any apps or worry about privacy. But if you scan QR codes regularly, you can streamline the process with dedicated QR code scanners.
We’ve outlined the steps below for two excellent QR code scanners available on the App Store, called QR Reader and Qrafter.
QR Reader for iPhone
- Open the QR Reader app and tap the photo icon from the top.
- Select the QR code from your image library.
- The app will scan the code and automatically take appropriate actions.
Qrafter: QR Code Reader
Qrafter is a great app we featured in our tutorial about sharing Wi-Fi passwords from iPhone to Android. You can also use it to scan locally stored QR codes.
- Head to the Qrafter app and select Scan from Photos.
- Select an image containing a QR code via the Photos picker.
- Choose a suitable action from the menu. For instance, if the QR code embeds a web link, you’ll choose the Open URL action.
3. Use Google Lens
Google Lens can recognize QR codes across platforms. Since Lens is a Google product, it’s already built into Chrome and Google Photos.
Google Chrome
- Touch and hold the Chrome app icon on the Home Screen and select Lens camera search.
- Tap the image icon and pick an image with a QR code from the library.
- Chrome will scan the QR code and offer appropriate actions depending on the information embedded in the code.
Google Photos
If the QR code you’d like to scan is saved in Google Photos, open it in the Google Photos app on your iPhone and hit the Lens button.
4. Use Siri Shortcut
I couldn’t find a shortcut to scan on-device photos, but Reddit introduced me to a cool shortcut called QR Reader from Images. After downloading the shortcut, open a desired QR code image in the Photos app, hit the share button, and choose the QR Reader from Images option.
You can also edit the shortcut to work with web URLs, letting you scan QR codes on Safari web pages.
5. Use WhatsApp
If you receive a QR code via WhatsApp, tap the image and then touch and hold the QR code to take an appropriate action. However, this method may not work in all cases.
Bonus tip: Scan saved QR codes on your Mac
If you’ve saved a QR code to your Mac or another device, scan it with your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone. To scan the code without another device, open the QR Capture app on your Mac and drop the image of the QR code on its Dock icon.
You can also visit the WebQR website and upload your QR code image to have it scanned. WebQR even lets you use your Mac’s built-in camera to scan QR codes printed on paper, packaging, invoices, receipts and so forth.
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