Historically, a third-party app has been needed to scan a QR code with your mobile phone. But now it is no longer necessary and it can be done entirely from the camera of your mobile phone. We show you how to scan a QR code with your Android.
If you have a relatively new version of Android such as Android 9 Pie or similar, or your manufacturer simply includes it in their camera, you can scan a QR code from your mobile camera. Although if this is not the case, we will show you an alternative way to do it by which you will not need an app dedicated entirely to it.
What is a QR code for?
A QR code is a square two-dimensional barcode that can store the encoded data in an image. This means that it allows interaction between the "physical" and digital world through the image. We can see them printed in numerous places, although their origin dates back to industrial processes that, through this element, allowed the traceability of products and processes automatically through optical recognition.
Right now, with any mobile phone and its camera, we can recognize this type of printed code and access both a url, which is the most common, such as watching a video, downloading content, etc.
Your camera app may read QR codes
This QR code scan without an external application is not a myth. It is such a simple function that manufacturers can already include it in their cameras thanks to its AR technology, even if they have done it somewhat late.
However, it all depends on the smartphone you have in your possession. In brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, Nokia, Motorola and Google, reading QR codes is very easy. You just owe open the camera app, point to the QR code and a small window will appear with the details. After you tap on it, you will be able to see what the QR code in question contains. To check if your mobile camera application reads QR codes, just access its options:
- Open the camera application and go to the settings.
- Identify an option similar to 'Scan QR codes'. If it is not active, turn it on.
- Brands such as Huawei integrate QR reading in their 'HiVision' mode. Activate it, accept the permissions and focus on the QR to read it.
- LG integrates QR recognition into Lens: turn it on to read QR codes.
Scan QR code on Android with Google Lens
First of all, open the camera of your mobile phone. In each phone the functionalities will be different, but it is possible that somewhere this function hides. In this case it is tested with the original OnePlus camera with Android 9 Pie.
When we open it we will see a symbol of a square with a circle in the middle. That square does not quite close since there is another circle in the lower right. If we click on that button, we will activate Google Lens.
Google Lens is the Google application for Artificial Intelligence using the camera. When doing so, several options will appear such as translating, searching for products, restaurants, etc. If you want to know all the information you need about Google Lens you can check it here, in Android Help.
By default it comes in the magnifying glass (we can move the mode by sliding our finger or clicking on the other options), which will already allow us to scan barcodes and QR codes. You just need to frame the QR code and it will give us information about it.
But if we want to visit it (or for whatever reason, no information comes out when focusing on it) we only need to press the magnifying glass button, there we will see the options to visit or share the web page through the sharing API or by copying the link.
If for whatever reason this option does not appear on your camera, don't worry, you can download this app from the Play Store. Yes, it is already installing an app, but it is not only used to scan QR codes, it also serves to search for information, translate texts, copy texts written on paper and a long etcetera.
As we have said, you can download it from the Google application store if you have Android 6.0 Marshmallow version or higher. And you will have a very useful app and you will not have to have an app dedicated entirely to scanning QR codes.
Even so, we can also access this app from the Google assistant in a very simple way. You will only have to activate the Google assistant swipe up and you will be able to access it.
