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How To Scan a QR Code with Your Android Phone

These instructions are for Android phones. If you have an Apple iPhone, please hop on over to our article for how to scan a QR code on iPhone.

The easiest way to scan a QR code can vary depending on which brand of Android phone you have. But we'll give you simple steps to try that will have you scanning that QR code as quickly as possible, regardless of brand. Try these, in this order:

1. Open your phone's camera app and aim your phone's camera at the QR code. Give it a second or two. See if a new button pops up related to the web site or app the QR code is for. It may be right below the QR code, or near the bottom of the viewfinder, like the example shown below (where it says "phonescoop.com"). It may also be a pop-up asking if you wish to proceed or cancel. Tap that button or confirm to proceed.

   Google Camera app

   

   Google Camera app

   Make sure the code is in focus, large enough (like the example above), and there's enough light and contrast.

   If nothing happens when you point your camera at the code, try step 2:

2. Look for a Google Lens button on the main/default screen of your camera app. Look for a small icon that looks like one of these:

   Google Lens icons

   

   Google Lens icons

   If you see one of these icons in your camera app, tap it to launch Google Lens. Then, you may need to tap the "Search with your camera" button at the top.

   If you don't see a Google Lens icon in your camera app, try step 3:

3. Your phone may have come with a separate app for scanning QR codes. Go to your full list of all apps (from the home screen, swipe up) and look for a QR Code or Code Scanner app. Or, look for the Google Lens app, which may be pre-installed and can also scan QR codes.

   Google Lens

   

   Google Lens

4. If you don't have any of those options on your phone, download Google Lens from the Google Play store (click link to download it now). The Google Lens app makes it easy to scan QR codes and much more, it's free, and it's from Google, so you know you can trust it. Once it's installed, just launch the app and tap the "Search with your camera" button at the top. Aim your camera at the code, then tap the link when it pops up over the code (see above). Done!

Usually a web link, but not always

Most QR codes are a web address that will open a specific web page in your phone's web browser. However QR codes can also be links to apps, Wi-Fi credentials, and more. Regardless, the process should be the same: open the camera (or Lens) app, let it find the code, tap the button.

Be Safe

Because most QR codes are web links, you should be careful that they come from a source you trust. They can be used for malicious purposes, including malware, spyware, phishing, and even viruses. You should never click on a link in a text or email (etc.) unless you are absolutely sure it comes from a source you trust, and the same applies to scanning QR codes.

There exist QR codes in the wild that are malicious. A QR code for a restaurant menu that is clearly provided by the restaurant is fine. But a poster on a pole on the street? Be wary.

You can also download third-party apps to scan QR codes, but this is largely unnecessary. And since some of those apps cost money, include ads, or may even be malicious, we recommend against using third-party apps to scan QR codes unless you have a specific reason.

With that said, there are some legitimate reasons to use a third-party app. There are other types of scannable codes besides QR codes that your phone's camera app or Google Lens may not recognize. If you need to scan those for some reason, you may need a dedicated app. But again, be careful that you trust the app developer. If the app is free, there is usually a catch (sometimes just ads, but there are malicious apps out there.)

If you want to scan a barcode on a consumer product (a UPC / Universal Product Code) to find info about it, the official Amazon app lets you do this. Just open the Amazon app and tap the circle-in-a-square icon in the search bar at the top. (We only mention this because Amazon is an app we believe you can trust. We are not compensated by Amazon in any way for mentioning this.)

Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.

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