QR codes have become an integral part of daily life, commonly found on receipts, restaurant menus, or promotional flyers. Scanning them typically involves holding your smartphone camera over the code, with most devices recognizing it automatically and displaying the associated website efficiently.
However, certain scenarios can leave you baffled. If you receive a QR code via email on your smartphone, scanning it directly isn’t straightforward. While you could open the email on another device to view the code, this method is cumbersome. Fortunately, there’s a simple trick to scan QR codes stored on both Android and iPhone devices directly from the screen.
Scanning Stored QR Codes on Android Smartphones
According to Google’s support documentation, there are multiple ways to scan saved QR codes on Android devices, depending on your device’s version. Newer devices feature a function called “Circle to Search,” which allows for scanning QR codes directly from your display. For older Android user interfaces, using Google Photos provides an alternative method. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do both.
Using Circle to Search
- Press and hold the Home button while displaying the QR code on your smartphone screen. For gesture navigation, long-press the navigation button instead.
- The Google search bar should appear, and the QR code will be automatically scanned, displaying the URL.
- If it doesn’t auto-scan, simply draw a circle around the QR code.
- Click on the displayed URL to open the underlying webpage in your default browser.
Using Google Photos to Scan QR Codes
- Take a screenshot of the email or app displaying the QR code.
- Open the Google Photos app, which is pre-installed on most Android devices.
- Select the screenshot containing the QR code.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner.
- Select “Google Lens” from the options.
- The tool should automatically recognize and scan the QR code.
- Tap the revealed URL to access the linked content.
Scanning Stored QR Codes on iPhones
Apple similarly offers guidance for scanning QR codes on iPhones in their support document. While their instructions don’t specifically mention stored QR codes, the process remains relatively identical. Do note that you need at least an iPhone Xs or Xr for this feature, as older models may not support it.
Using Live Text Feature
- Capture a screenshot of the QR code in the app or email.
- Open the Photos app and select your screenshot.
- Tap the three-line icon in the bottom right corner to activate the Live Text feature.
- Choose the QR code displayed.
- Select the browser option to open the link behind the QR code.
This article was originally published on October 9, 2025, but the information remains relevant for many of our readers. Thus, we’ve made it available once more.
