How to scan a QR code from a screenshot or a photo on the same phone
The QR code is on your own screen, so you can't point a camera at it. Read it from a screenshot or photo on iPhone, Android or PC, and check the link first.
Updated
Short answer: take a screenshot of the QR code, open the QR code scanner and drop the screenshot onto it (on a computer you can also paste it with Ctrl+V). The content appears at once: a link, a Wi-Fi password, a contact, a UPI payment. The image is read in your browser and never uploaded.
When you need this
A QR code is easy to scan with a second device, but often it’s on the screen you’re holding: a Wi-Fi code someone sent you, a ticket in an email, a payment code in a chat, a QR on a web page or in a PDF. You also get QR codes as photos: a poster you shot to deal with later, a code on a screenshot from a video call.
Steps on a phone
- Take a screenshot of the code (or open the photo you already have).
- Open the QR code scanner in your browser.
- Tap the drop area and choose the screenshot from your gallery.
- Read the result. Use Copy content, Open link or, for Wi-Fi, Copy password.
The page works offline once it has loaded, and you can add it to your home screen.
Steps on a computer
- Copy the image: press Win+Shift+S on Windows or Cmd+Shift+4 on a Mac, select the code, or right-click a picture and choose Copy image.
- Open the QR code scanner and press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac). Dropping an image file works too.
- Or press Scan with camera to hold a phone screen or a paper code up to the webcam. Frames are read in the tab and never saved.
What the scanner shows
Nibbo doesn’t just print the raw text, it explains it:
- Link: the full address, with a warning if it’s not encrypted (http), uses look-alike international letters, or hides a different address after an @ sign.
- Wi-Fi network: name, password and security type, so you can type it on a laptop or TV.
- Contact card, email, phone number, text message, location: each field on its own line.
- UPI payment: payee UPI ID, name and amount. Check the payee before you pay; the scanner warns when the code has none.
Built-in options on your phone
Recent iPhones can read a QR code in a photo: open it in Photos and look for the QR symbol, or touch and hold the code. On Android, open the image in Google Photos and tap Lens, or use the Google Lens app. They work, but the options move between versions, and they open links straight away. The browser scanner shows you the content first.
Why it says “No QR code found”
- The code is too small or blurry. Crop around it with Crop image and try again, or take a sharper photo.
- Glare or a strong angle on a photo of a screen or glossy paper. Shoot straight on, without reflections.
- Part of the code is missing. All three corner squares must be visible.
- It’s not a QR code. Barcodes on products and other 2D codes like Data Matrix are a different thing.
FAQ
Is the image uploaded?
No. The QR code is decoded by your browser on your device. The page has no server that receives images, which matters for Wi-Fi passwords and payment codes.
Can I scan a QR code from a PDF?
Yes: take a screenshot of the page with the code, then paste or drop the screenshot.
The QR code opens a strange link. Is it safe?
Treat QR codes like links from strangers. Read the address the scanner shows before you open it, and never type passwords or card details on a page you reached from a sticker or a flyer.
Can I make my own QR code?
Yes, with the QR code generator: links, Wi-Fi, contacts and more, also made in your browser.