Technology & Developers
Free Barcode and QR Code Scanner
Upload a photo or screenshot of a barcode or QR code and get the decoded value.
Free to useNo sign-up requiredNo watermarkRuns in your browser
This reads a QR code or barcode straight from an image - a photo taken on your phone, a screenshot, or a picture someone sent you - and gives you back the actual value encoded in it: a web address, a product number, a Wi-Fi network, whatever it holds.
It supports QR codes and the common 1D barcode formats (EAN, UPC, Code 128, Code 39 and others), and it runs entirely in your browser - the image is read on your own device and never uploaded anywhere.
How this tool works
Upload the image
A photo or screenshot containing a QR code or barcode, read directly in your browser.
Get the decoded value
The code is found and decoded automatically - no button to press.
Copy or open it
Copy the value, or open it directly if it is a web link.
How it works
The image is scanned for a recognisable barcode or QR pattern using ZXing, a mature, widely-used open-source barcode-reading library originally built by Google - VSThiran did not write the decoding engine itself.
Once a code is found, its format is identified (QR, EAN-13, Code 128 and so on) and the encoded value is read out and shown as plain text, ready to copy.
Everything happens in your browser. The image is never uploaded to a server, and nothing about what the code contains is logged or sent anywhere.
What formats are supported
- QR Code and Data Matrix (2D codes).
- EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A and UPC-E (the barcodes on most retail products).
- Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar and ITF (common in shipping, logistics and inventory).
- PDF417 and Aztec (used on some tickets, boarding passes and ID documents).
Scan, or generate - both directions
This reads a code that already exists. To create a new QR code - for a link, a Wi-Fi network or a contact card - use the QR Code Generator instead.
Worked examples
A QR code in a photo
Point your camera at a poster or menu, upload the photo, and get the link or text it encodes.
A product barcode
Photograph a barcode on packaging to read the product number encoded in it.
A QR code in a screenshot
A code shared as an image rather than a live scan - upload the screenshot directly.
Frequently asked questions
What image formats can I upload?
JPG, PNG and WebP.
Does this work with regular barcodes, not just QR codes?
Yes - EAN, UPC, Code 128, Code 39 and several other common 1D barcode formats are supported alongside QR codes.
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. The image is read and decoded entirely in your browser, on your own device.
What if no code is found in the image?
You'll be told plainly rather than left guessing. Try a clearer, better-lit photo, or crop the image closer to just the code if there is a lot of empty space around it.
Can I scan with my camera live, instead of uploading a photo?
Not currently - upload a photo or screenshot of the code, the same as every other tool on this site works from a file rather than a live camera feed.
How do I create a QR code instead of reading one?
Use the QR Code Generator, which creates a new code for a link, text, Wi-Fi network or contact card.
Guides for this tool
How to scan a QR code from a photo or screenshot
Got a QR code as a photo or screenshot, not something to point your camera at? Decode it in your browser with VSThiran - upload the image and get the value instantly.
How to scan a barcode online
Need to read a product barcode without a dedicated scanner app? Decode EAN, UPC, Code 128 and more from a photo, in your browser with VSThiran. Free, no app to install.
Need to read a QR code from a screenshot? Do it in your browser
Can't point a camera at a QR code that's already a screenshot? Decode it directly in your browser with VSThiran - upload the screenshot and get the value instantly.
QR code won't scan? Here's how to read it anyway
Camera app won't recognize a QR code? It's usually image quality, not the code itself - decode it directly from a photo in your browser with VSThiran instead.