QR code scanner in your browser
Point the camera at a code or choose a picture of it, and see what it holds before you open anything.
Read a code, and see the link before you open it
The picture is read in your browser. It is not uploaded to us and not kept.
The camera could not be started. Allow this site to use it in the browser's settings, or choose a picture of the code.
No code was found in this picture. Try a clearer one that shows the whole code.
The reader could not be loaded. Reload the page and try again.
- The site's name first. Is it what you would expect for this place? One letter added or missing is enough to imitate a name.
- A sticker over a sticker? Codes in car parks and on menus are imitated to lead you to a page that asks for your card.
- You decide. We show what the code holds, and open nothing until you choose to.
What the code holds
A web link A Wi-Fi network's details A contact card A number, a message or a place on the map Text
The site it opens:
- This link is not encrypted (http). Do not type a password or card details there.
- The site's name uses non-Latin letters and may imitate a well-known name. Check it before you open it.
- The link has a username before the site's name, a trick to hide where it leads. The real site is the one written above.
- The link leads to a numeric address, not to a site's name. Well-known sites do not do that.
Why you see the link before it opens
A code cannot be read by eye, which is why it is used for fraud: a sticker placed over a car park's code or over a restaurant's menu leads you to a page that asks for your card details. Here you see the site's name first, and you decide.
What to look at before you open
- The site's name: is it what you would expect for this place? One letter added or missing is enough to imitate a name.
- A short link hides where it finally leads. Open it if you trust whoever put it there, and look at the address bar afterwards.
- Do not type a password or card details on a page you reached from a code on a sticker, unless you are sure of the site's name.
Questions about the scanner
Why does the browser ask to use the camera?
To read the code from it. The camera runs only while you are on the scanner's page, and stops when the code is read or you leave. You can choose a picture instead.
Does it read the striped barcodes on products?
Yes, it reads the common kinds of linear barcode too, and shows the number as text.
My phone reads codes with its camera. Why would I need this?
To read a code in a picture or a screenshot, or on a computer, or when you want to see the whole link before it opens.