TECH How to scan a QR code with your iPhone or Android phone (no apps needed) QR codes are those pixelated squares you see in restaurants, advertisements, stores, food packaging, business cards ...

QR codes are a great way to relay a lot of information in a small space and your Android phone has multiple ways to read them. Here's how to do it.

In its current form, trying to scan a QR or barcode using Circle to Search takes users to a basic search results page that shows other similar-looking codes.

Not all smartphones require a third-party app to scan QR codes. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to scan codes using iPhone or Androids.

Currently, using Circle to Search on a barcode directs users toward a search result with other similar barcodes. This is instead of being redirected to the content of the barcode.

If you have an Apple iPhone, please hop on over to our article for how to scan a QR code on iPhone. The easiest way to scan a QR code can vary depending on which brand of Android phone you have.

Additionally, since the built-in QR scanner on Android 13 and above uses the ML Kit Barcode Scanning API, it's possible this functionality could also be extended to QR scanning in the camera app.

Google has added a built-in scanner on its Files app, eliminating the need to download a dedicated tool to scan documents on Android. Here's how to use it to scan a document on an Android device.