How to scan a QR code on an Android phone
2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open the Camera app and point it at the QR code. Tap the link that appears on the screen. If nothing shows, swipe down twice from the top and tap the Scan QR code tile.
Every current Android phone reads QR codes with its own camera. You do not need to install a scanner app, and many of those in the Play Store are full of adverts.
Menu names below are from Google Pixel phones on a recent Android version. Samsung, Xiaomi and other brands rename some of them, so the Samsung name is given where it differs. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the screen, not screenshots.
Step by step
Open the Camera app
Use the normal photo mode.
Point it at the code
Hold steady for a second. A small banner or bubble with the web address appears.
Read the address, then tap it
Check that the address matches what you expect before opening it.
Use the Quick Settings scanner
Swipe down twice from the top of the screen and tap Scan QR code. Add the tile with the pencil icon if it is missing.
Scan a code from a picture
Open the screenshot or photo in Google Photos and tap Lens. Tap the code and the link appears.
Good to know
On Samsung phones, check Camera settings, Scan QR codes, if the camera ignores codes.
Be careful with QR codes on stickers in public places such as parking machines. Fraudsters cover real codes with their own. For payments, type the address yourself.
A QR code can also hold a Wi-Fi login. Scanning it offers to join the network.
In short: Camera app, point, tap the link. Or the Scan QR code tile.
- Google Android Help: Scan a QR code with your Android phone
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