How to Scan a QR Code on Android
08, Nov 2021

How to Scan a QR Code on Android

According to research done by MobileIron in September 2020, 72% of the respondents scanned a QR code in the past month, and 67% believe that QR codes make life easier in a touchless world. This shows that the use of these barcodes has become popular, and therefore, it is crucial to know how to read a QR code on android.


How to Scan QR-code on Android phone camera

Most Android phones allow you to scan QR codes through the camera instead of installing another QR code reader. Follow these steps to enable QR code scanning on your android;

    1. Open the camera app on your Android phone

    There are two ways to locate your phone's camera. First, you can swipe up from the bottom of your screen and then tap on the camera app. Alternatively, go to the search bar on your phone and enter the word camera and once the app appears, tap on it.

      2. Point your Android phone towards the QR code to scan

      Place your camera on top of the barcode and ensure that all four corners are visible in the viewfinder to prompt scanning. If your phone is Android 8 or later, a banner pop-up will appear. In case the banner doesn't appear, Google Lens will help you. You can locate the Lens icon somewhere on your screen or tap on the Modes or More button at the bottom-right corner of your screen. Then select Lens and place the QR code in the white lines. To scan the barcodes, tap the magnifying glass icon.

      If your phone is running Android 7 or earlier and you are wondering how to open a QR scanner on android, check if your phone already has the Google Lens feature. Press the Home button until Google Assistant pops up and, then tap on the Google Lens icon. You can also select the microphone icon and say ‘open Google Lens.’

      If all the above fails, take a screenshot or a picture of the QR code, go to the Google Photos app, and tap on the Google Lens icon below the photos.

      3. Tap the pop-up banner

      After a successful scan, a pop-up banner appears on your screen. Tap it to allow you to perform actions, such as opening an app, going to a website, or getting product information.


      What is the best QR-code reader for android?

      QR-code readers enable effective QR code scanning on android to allow you to get vital information such as banking information or product prices.

      Here are some of the best QR code readers in the market today;

      ShopSavvy Barcode & QR Scanner

      For all your shopping needs, this is the best QR scanner for android. It helps you to scan barcodes found in leading retail stores. Besides, it allows shoppers to locate retailers that are near to access their shopping quickly.


      Scan QR Reader

      It is a simple-to-use QR code reader because you only need to tap on the app to activate the scanner. Then it will be ready to scan the data through your phone’s camera. Besides, it is the best free QR code reader for android 2020 to download. You can get it on Google Play Store.


      QuickMark Barcode Scanner

      It is one of the advanced QR code readers for android devices. First, it is compatible with most android devices. Besides, it auto-scans various barcode formats, including QR Code, Quick Codes, Code39, and Datamatrix.


      Scanning QR Codes with Android 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, and Android 11.0

      If your phone is running Android 8 or later, how do QR codes work on your android? Your primary phone camera will allow you to scan the QR code with the help of Google Lens.

      All you need to do is open your camera and point it to the QR code until it entirely focuses on it. The Google Lens will automatically detect and scan the code and display a link. Tap the link to view the QR code content.

      You need to ensure that you turn on the ‘Scan QR codes’ in your Camera’s app setting for Samsung users.

      Besides, you could be asking about how to use a QR code on android browsers? If you have a Samsung phone, you can activate the scanning option on the Samsung Internet Browser by;

      • Tapping on the three-line button at the bottom-right corner of the screen

      • Go to Settings and choose ‘Useful Features.’

      • Select ‘QR code scanner’ and tap your address bar.

      • Finally, select ‘QR code icon’ to add the scanning option on your browser.

      For the Firefox browser, you can enable QR code scanning on android by tapping on the address bar and then pressing scan.

      QR codes are almost everywhere, from grocery stores to banks. Therefore, it is crucial to know how to scan and use them on your Android phone.