How to scan a QR code from your smartphone screen

After blocking Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, many users moved to Telegram and VKontakte. In order not to lose contact with their subscribers, they publish QR codes that allow you to quickly go to their profiles in new services.

It is not difficult to scan a QR code on a computer screen with a smartphone camera, but what if you see the code on a smartphone and cannot read it with another device? There are several solutions, and they are quite simple, although not everyone knows about them.

How to read a QR code on the screen of an Android smartphone

First you need to save the QR code on your smartphone as an image. For example, you can just take a screenshot of the screen with it. On Android, this is usually done by pressing the power and volume down keys at the same time. The image can then be scanned.

1. Via Google Photos

If you use Google Photos, then just open the image with the code and click "Lens".

A link will appear over the picture, which was encrypted. You can navigate to it by clicking on it.

2. Through preinstalled apps

Many smartphones come preinstalled with a QR and barcode reader app. For example, on Xiaomi and Poco it is called "Scanner".

The application can read both through the camera and from an image saved on the device - just select a picture from memory by clicking on the gallery icon.

3. Through third party apps

Many third-party scanners that can be installed from the Play Store work in the same way. An example is below.

How to read QR code on iPhone screen

On Apple devices, the principle is the same: first you need to save the QR code. A screenshot can be taken in several ways:

• on an iPhone with Face ID, press the side key and the volume up button at the same time;
• on an iPhone with Touch ID, the home button and side key.

Further, the code can be read in two ways.

1. Through "Photo"

The standard Photos application allows you to read a QR code from an image if the Text Scanner function is enabled in the iPhone settings. It's in the "Language and Region" section.

After activating it, a swipe icon will appear on the picture with the code in the Photos application. Click on it and you will be able to follow the link in Safari.

We also note here that the reading icon sometimes appears even without saving the code to the device, for example, when it is opened in the messenger chat - this is even more convenient.

2. Through third party apps

As is the case with Android, there are many third-party scanners in the App Store that can work with images. In them, just select a picture with a code from the gadget's memory and click on the link.