QR Code Reader

About QR Code Reader

This page decodes a QR code from a picture and shows you the text hidden inside it, such as a web address, a Wi-Fi login or a plain message. It is meant for the moment when you have a screenshot, a photo of a flyer or a saved image and want to see the destination before anyone opens it. Decoding runs in your browser, so the image stays on your device.

How to use it

1. Choose an image with the Upload QR Code Image control, drag a file onto the tool area, or paste a screenshot from your clipboard.
2. Wait a moment while the preview appears; the code is read automatically as soon as the file loads, so there is no separate read button.
3. Read the result in the QR Code Content box and press the copy button beside it to put the full text on your clipboard.
4. If the content is a web address, check the complete address shown under the box before deciding to open it in a new tab.
5. Press Reset to clear the image and result, then load another picture.

Reading a link from a saved image

A 300 pixel PNG of a QR code that was generated from the text https://www.maffeitools.com/tool/qr-code-reader?ref=guide, uploaded with the Upload QR Code Image control

The QR Code Content box shows https://www.maffeitools.com/tool/qr-code-reader?ref=guide, and the same address appears in full below it with a note to check it before opening.

When to use it

• Checking where a code on a poster or parking meter really points by photographing it and reading the address first.
• Recovering a link from a screenshot of a code that a colleague pasted into a chat.
• Copying the exact Wi-Fi sharing string from a saved router label instead of retyping it.
• Confirming that a code you generated for a print job decodes back to the text you intended.

Questions about QR Code Reader

What happens when the image has no readable code?

You see a plain message saying no QR code was found, which is not treated as an error. Crop closer to the code, use a sharper or larger picture, and keep the white border around it.

Which file types can I load?

PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF and BMP files up to 25 MB, identified by their file signature rather than their extension. SVG files are rejected, and an animated GIF is read from its first frame only.

Can it read light-on-dark or very large photos?

Yes. It tries the normal and the color-inverted reading, and it shrinks photos larger than about 1600 pixels on the longest side before decoding. If that fails and the image is not huge, it retries at full size.

Does the page open the link inside the code by itself?

No. A web address is only displayed as text with a link you must click yourself, and only http or https addresses get that link. Other content, such as a Wi-Fi string, is shown as text only.

Will it read several codes or ordinary barcodes?

No. It looks for a single QR code per image and returns the first one it can decode. Standard product barcodes such as EAN or Code 128 are a different format and are not recognized.

Related tools

• QR Code GeneratorGenerate QR codes from any text or URL. Customize size, color, and error correction level.
• PNG to JPGEasily convert PNG images to JPG with this easy-to-use converter.
• PNG to BMPEasily convert PNG images to BMP with this easy-to-use converter.
• PNG to ICOEasily convert PNG images to ICO with this easy-to-use converter.
• PNG to GIFEasily convert PNG images to GIF with this easy-to-use converter.
• PNG to WEBPEasily convert PNG images to WEBP with this easy-to-use converter.