To scan a QR code that’s on your laptop screen, the easiest way is Google Lens in Chrome: right-click the code or open Lens from Chrome and select the code, and the link appears. To scan a code on paper with your laptop, hold it up to the webcam in a camera app that reads codes. Or skip the laptop and point your phone at the screen or the paper, which is usually fastest.
Which method fits depends on where the code is, so start there.
Where is the QR code? #
| The code is… | Easiest method |
|---|---|
| On a web page or in an image on your laptop | Google Lens in Chrome |
| In a file or screenshot on your laptop | Open it in Chrome and use Lens, or send it to your phone |
| On paper, a package or a screen in front of you | Your phone’s camera, or your laptop webcam |
| A sign-in code (WhatsApp Web, TV apps, account logins) | Your phone, from inside the app that asks for it |
Method 1: Google Lens in Chrome (Windows and Mac) #
Google lists Chrome among the places Lens is available, and it can read QR codes on any page or image you have open.
- Open the page or image with the code in Chrome.
- Right-click the image and choose the Google Lens search option, or open Lens from Chrome’s menu or address bar and drag a box around the code. The wording of the menu item changes between versions.
- Lens reads the code and shows the link or text in a side panel.
- Check the address before clicking it.
For a code in a screenshot or PDF on your computer, open the file in Chrome first (drag it into a Chrome window), then use Lens the same way.
Method 2: Use your laptop’s webcam #
For a code on paper or on a package, you can hold it up to the webcam.
- Windows: recent versions of the built-in Windows Camera app can read QR codes and barcodes. Open Camera and look for a barcode or QR option among its modes. Hold the code steady in front of the webcam and a link appears.
- Mac: the Mac doesn’t come with a dedicated QR scanner for the webcam. Take a photo with Photo Booth, then open it in Chrome and use Lens, or use your iPhone instead.
Webcams are low resolution and fixed focus, so hold the code about 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) away, fill the frame, and use good light. Be careful with websites that offer to scan codes through your webcam. You’re giving a website camera access, and there’s no need when Chrome and your phone can do it.
Method 3: Use your phone (often the easiest) #
Most QR codes are designed for phones, and your phone’s camera is far better than a laptop webcam.
- Open your phone’s camera (or the Code Scanner on iPhone, or Google Lens on Android).
- Point it at the laptop screen.
- If it won’t read, turn up the screen brightness, zoom the page so the code is larger, and tilt the phone slightly to cut glare and the rippled moiré pattern screens produce.
If the code is in a file, you can also send it to your phone and read it from there. See how to scan a QR code from a screenshot for the phone steps.
QR Handler helps with codes on a laptop screen: its 1×, 2× and 3× zoom and pinch-to-zoom let you read a small code from a comfortable distance, and the result screen shows the full contents before anything opens. Its Photo button reads a screenshot you’ve sent to your phone. And if what you have on the laptop is a link rather than a code, copy it to your phone and tap Paste; QR Handler shows the real site and the same link warnings.
Sign-in QR codes: a special case #
Many services show a QR code on the laptop that you scan with your phone to sign in: messaging apps on the web, TV and streaming apps, and some account logins. These codes are usually meant to be scanned from inside the service’s own phone app (in a menu like “Linked devices”), not with the camera.
Treat sign-in codes with extra care. Scanning one tells the service to trust whichever computer is showing the code. Only scan a sign-in code that you opened yourself, on a device in front of you. If someone sends you a sign-in code, or a website you reached from an email shows one, don’t scan it. That’s a known way to hijack accounts.
Check the link before opening it #
A code on a web page or in an email is as able to hide a bad link as one on a poster. After Lens or your phone reads the code:
- Read the web address and find the real domain, the part just before the first single
/. - Be wary of shortened links that hide the destination.
- Don’t sign in or pay through a code you didn’t expect.
The FTC’s advice is to inspect the URL before you open it, especially for codes that show up somewhere unexpected. Our guide to checking a QR code before opening it goes into more detail.
If the code won’t scan #
- On screen: zoom in, raise brightness, and try Lens in Chrome instead of the phone.
- With a webcam: add light, move the code closer or further, and hold it flat and still.
- Screenshot: make sure the whole code is included with a blank border around it.
More fixes are in QR code not scanning: how to fix it.
Frequently asked questions #
Can I scan a QR code on my laptop without a phone? #
Yes. Google Lens in Chrome reads codes on web pages and in images, and recent versions of the Windows Camera app can read codes held up to the webcam.
How do I scan a QR code on my laptop screen? #
Use Google Lens in Chrome to read the code directly, or point your phone’s camera at the screen. If the phone struggles, zoom the page and turn up the brightness.
How do I scan a QR code on a Mac? #
For a code on screen, use Google Lens in Chrome. For a code on paper, your iPhone is the easiest option, since the Mac doesn’t include a webcam QR scanner.
Is it safe to use a website that scans QR codes with my webcam? #
It means giving a website access to your camera, which isn’t necessary. Chrome’s Lens and your phone’s camera can read codes without it.