You don't need your phone to open a QR code. You probably already know how to scan a QR code with your phone. It's simple enough: just open the camera app, point your phone at the code, and tap ...

Here’s how: Open the Camera app and hold your iPhone, so the QR code appears in the viewfinder. Your phone should recognize the QR code and give you a notification.

Point at the QR Code: Once Google Lens is open, point your phone’s camera at the QR code you want to scan. This could be a QR code displayed on your phone’s screen, in an email, or on a website.

Screenshot: iOS If you’re out and about with your iPhone and come across a QR code, open the Camera app, switch to the rear camera, and get the QR code lined up with the viewfinder.

Do you want to quickly scan a QR code, but cannot find your phone? Then follow this easy guide to Scan QR Codes on Windows 11/10 PC.

Bar codes store information along one axis, horizontally. QR codes store information in both vertical and horizontal axes, which allows them to hold significantly more data.

QR codes are a close cousin of the bar codes on product packaging that cashiers scan with infrared scanners to let the checkout computer know what products are being purchased.