QR code not scanning? Find the cause and fix it

The camera is on, but nothing happens

The scanner reads the video continuously, so a clear code is usually picked up within a second. If nothing happens, the camera most likely can't see the code well enough.

Too close, too far, or out of focus

Phone cameras can't focus very close up. Start about 15 to 30 cm away and move slowly until the code looks sharp on screen. Laptop webcams often have fixed focus, so you may need to hold the code further away than feels natural.

The code is too small

Tiny codes on receipts, labels, or business cards may not have enough detail at a distance where the camera can focus. Get as close as focus allows, or take a sharp photo and scan it inImage mode, where the scanner tries several sizes.

Glare, reflections, or poor light

Shiny paper, laminated menus, and screens reflect lamps and windows, which can hide parts of the code. Tilt the code or yourself until the reflection moves away. In dim places, select the flashlight button, which appears when your device supports it, or move toward a light.

Motion blur

A moving code smears into a blur the scanner can't read. Rest your elbows on something, hold still for a moment, and keep both devices steady if you are scanning one screen with another.

Damaged, dirty, or curved codes

QR codes have built-in error correction, so they survive some damage, but tears, stains, faded print, or a code wrapped around a bottle or cup can be too much. Flatten or clean the code and scan the flattest part straight on. If one of the three large corner squares is damaged, the code often can't be read at all.

Low contrast or inverted colors

Scanners need a clear difference between the dark and light squares. Pale colors, gradients, or busy backgrounds behind the code make that harder. Some codes are printed light on dark; when reading an image, the scanner also tries an inverted copy. If the live camera struggles with such a code, take a photo and scan it in Image mode.

No blank margin around the code

QR codes need an empty border, called the quiet zone, so the scanner can tell where they begin. Codes printed right up to an edge, or with text and graphics touching them, often fail. With the camera, include some background around the code. In Imagemode, the scanner adds a white margin automatically.

The code is on another screen

Filming a screen can produce wavy moiré patterns and flicker. Turn up that screen's brightness, change the distance or angle slightly, or zoom in so the code is larger. If the code is on the same device you are using, take a screenshot and scan the image instead.

The camera won't start

When the camera can't be used, the scanner shows a message explaining why. Find yours below.

"Camera access was blocked"

The browser, or you, denied permission to use the camera. Allow it again for this site and reload the page. Menu names differ slightly between versions:

• Chrome and Edge: select the site information icon at the left of the address bar, set Camera to Allow, and reload.
• Firefox: select the permissions icon in the address bar, clear the blocked camera permission, and reload.
• Safari on Mac: open Safari › Settings › Websites › Camera and set this site to Ask or Allow.
• iPhone and iPad: for Safari, open Settings › Safari › Camera and choose Ask or Allow. For other browsers, open Settings, select the browser in the app list, and turn on Camera.

Your operating system can block the camera too. On Windows, check Settings › Privacy & security › Camera. On a Mac, check System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera and make sure your browser is allowed.

"Camera scanning isn't available here"

Browsers only allow camera access on secure pages, so the address must start withhttps://, and the browser must be reasonably up to date. Some in-app browsers inside other apps don't allow camera access either; open the page in your regular browser. You can always scan from an image instead.

"The camera is busy"

Another app or tab is using the camera, such as a video call or another scanner. Close it and select Start camera again.

"No camera found"

The browser can't detect a camera. Connect a webcam, check that it isn't turned off by a privacy switch or cover, or scan from an image.

"The camera could not start"

Try again, then reload the page. If your device has several cameras, pick a different one from the camera picker; on phones with several rear lenses, another lens may focus better up close. Restarting the browser also helps when the camera is stuck.

An image won't scan

"No QR code found" means the image opened fine but no readable code was found in it, so the fix is about the picture itself. The other messages mean the file couldn't be used at all.

"No QR code found"

• Crop the image close to the code, keeping a thin margin around it.
• Use a sharper copy: the original file rather than a compressed copy forwarded through a chat app, or a new screenshot taken after zooming in.
• Retake photos straight on, in focus, with the whole code inside the frame.
• The scanner reads one code per scan. If an image has several, crop it to the one you need.

"That file isn't an image"

The file is a PDF, document, or another non-image file. Open it, take a screenshot of the code, and scan the screenshot.

"The image could not be opened"

The file may be damaged, or in a format your browser can't display. HEIC photos, the default format on many iPhones, only open in Safari. In other browsers, convert the photo to JPEG or PNG first, or take a screenshot of it.

"That image is too large"

Images up to 25 MB are accepted. Crop or resize the picture, or take a screenshot of the code.

"The scanner stopped unexpectedly"

Something went wrong while decoding. Reload the page and try again, and update your browser if it keeps happening.

The code scans, but the result doesn't work

Sometimes the scanner reads the code correctly and the problem is the code itself:

• Expired or redirected links: many printed codes point to a redirect service. If that service or the campaign has ended, the link may lead to an error page or an unrelated site. Ask whoever printed the code for a current one.
• Mistakes when the code was made: a wrong address or an old Wi-Fi password stays wrong forever. Check the raw content in the result to see exactly what was encoded.
• Content meant for one app: some codes only work inside a specific app, such as a payment or messaging app. The scanner shows these as text, and unusual link types are never opened, by design. The QR code safety guideexplains why.
• Not a QR code: the scanner reads QR codes only, not the striped barcodes on products or other square formats such as Data Matrix and Aztec.