How to Scan QR Codes on Windows

You're probably used to scanning QR codes with your smartphone to access email addresses, phone numbers, and website links. But how do you scan them on a Windows PC without your phone? Here are a few simple ways to do that.

Want to scan a QR code using your PC's webcam, just like you would with your phone? The built-in Camera app on your Windows 10 or 11 PC makes it easy. Here's how to do it:

It's worth noting that the QR code option in the Camera app may not be visible if you aren't running the most recent version of Windows. In this case, you must enable the experimental features in the Windows Camera app to access the QR code option. Here's how:

Restart the Camera app after completing the above steps, and you should see the QR code scanner option.

Although the Windows Camera app makes it simple to scan QR codes, it has some limitations.

The biggest hurdle is that it can't scan QR codes from existing images on your computer. To do this, you can use an online QR code scanning service. Here's how:

If you're using Windows 11, you can also use the Snipping Tool app to scan QR codes. All you have to do is either take a screenshot of the QR code or open an already saved QR code image in the Snipping Tool app.

The Snipping Tool app will scan the QR code and display the text or link. You can copy it to the Windows clipboard or open the link in your browser.

Thanks to the growing popularity of QR codes, several QR code scanner apps are now available on the Microsoft Store. You can quickly scan or generate QR codes on your Windows computer using an app like Photo Scan.

To scan QR codes using the Photo Scan app:

You now know some quick and simple ways to scan QR codes on your Windows computer. In most cases, the built-in Camera app or Snipping Tool should be enough. If not, you can also try the Photo Scan app or head to the ScanQR website to scan QR codes. Regardless of the method you choose, don't forget to ensure the QR code is safe to scan.

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