# QR scanning on Windows

> Windows has no system-wide QR scanner, but recent versions of the built-in Camera app include a barcode mode that reads QR codes from the webcam. For screenshots — the common case on a desktop — upload the image to a browser-based scanner, which decodes it locally without installing anything.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/scanning/qr-scanning-on-windows · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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## The two cases, and the right tool for each

QR codes reach a Windows PC in two forms: **on the screen** (emails, PDFs, web pages,
video calls) and **on paper** in front of you. Windows handles the second natively and
the first not at all — so you need both flows.

## On-screen codes: snip, then decode

The built-in Camera app cannot open image files, so for anything on your display the
screenshot route is the whole answer:

1. Press **Win+Shift+S** and drag across the code — the snip lands in your clipboard.
2. **Paste it** into a [browser-based scanner](/scan), or save and drag the file in.
3. Read the decoded text, then open it if the destination looks right.

The scanner runs client-side: decoding happens in the browser, the image never leaves
the machine, and you see the raw text before anything opens — the safe order of
operations for [unexpected codes](/docs/security/how-to-check-a-qr-code-before-opening).
Precise cropping is unnecessary; decoders find a code inside a larger screenshot on
their own.

## Paper codes: the Camera app or the webcam

Recent versions of the **Windows Camera app** include a **barcode mode** that reads QR
codes live from the webcam: open Camera, switch to the barcode option, and hold the code
up to the lens. If your build of the app lacks the mode — availability has varied across
Windows 10 and 11 versions — the same [browser scanner](/scan) has a webcam option that
behaves identically and needs nothing installed. Hold the code **15–30 cm** from the
lens, steady, with the light behind the camera rather than behind the code; more
webcam-specific technique is on the
[webcam scanning page](/docs/scanning/qr-scanning-with-a-webcam).

One habit worth avoiding: downloading a "QR reader" utility from a search result. The
category is dense with ad-stuffed and occasionally hostile software, and it solves
nothing the two flows above do not — the reasoning is the same as
[why phones stopped needing scanner apps](/docs/scanning/do-you-need-a-qr-scanner-app).

## Scanning at volume

If you are decoding codes all day — goods-in, ticketing, asset checks — a **USB 2D
imager** is the correct tool: it plugs in as a keyboard, needs no driver, and types each
decoded payload into whatever field has focus. Details and buying guidance are on
[hardware barcode scanners and QR](/docs/scanning/hardware-barcode-scanners-and-qr),
with the batch workflow itself covered under
[batch scanning](/docs/scanning/batch-scanning-many-qr-codes).

## FAQ

### Does Windows have a built-in QR code scanner?
Partially. Recent versions of the Windows Camera app include a barcode mode that scans
QR codes from the webcam, but it cannot decode image files. For screenshots, use a
browser-based scanner.

### How do I scan a QR code on my screen in Windows?
Press Win+Shift+S, snip the code, and paste the image into a browser-based scanner. It
decodes locally in the browser and shows the destination text before you open the link.

### How do I scan a QR code with my laptop's webcam?
Open the Windows Camera app's barcode mode, or a browser-based scanner's webcam option,
and hold the code 15–30 cm from the lens. Keep it steady and make sure the code is lit
from the front.

### What is the best QR scanner to download for Windows?
For occasional scanning, none — the Camera app and browser-based scanners cover
everything without installation. For all-day scanning workloads, a USB 2D imager that
types results as a keyboard is the professional answer.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/scan
- https://useqr.app/validate