In iOS 11, the native camera app includes functionality that allows you to scan QR codes and access QR code content like URLs without having to download a third-party app.


Here's how to scan a QR code when you run into one:

  1. Open the Camera app on the iPhone or iPad.
  2. Make sure you have adequate lighting so the camera can pick up the QR code.
  3. Align the camera with the QR code.

That's all there is to it. From there, the camera will read the QR code and provide you with a notification to access whatever it contains.

QR codes can include contact information, calendar events, website links, phone numbers, email addresses, Wi-Fi information, and more, so they can be pretty handy, and it's nice to have the built-in scanning feature available when you need it.

Top Rated Comments

Michael Scrip Avatar
82 months ago
This should have happened a LONG time ago.

I remember having to download "Red Laser" or something on my iPhone 4S

Of course I knew what to do... but the average person? Nope.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IHelpId10t5 Avatar
82 months ago
I hope the notification includes displaying the actual URL before navigating to it. The singificant problem with QR codes (and shortened URLs) is that they are handy for masking a malicious destination from unsuspecting click-happy smartphone users that have no care for their own security.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rlarsen_eu Avatar
82 months ago
Yes can auto QR recognition be disabled?
1: Go to the Settings app on iPhone, iPad

2: Scroll down and tap on Camera

3: Find [B]Scan QR codes[/B] and disabled it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
82 months ago
This is useful for joining WiFi networks.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neliason Avatar
82 months ago
I’m glad they implemented this but I don’t really bother with QR codes anymore. The ideal of them being handy didn’t work for me when you had to pull out your phone, type in a passcode, and find an app. Now with face and fingerprint unlock and the camera app more easily accessible it is finally useful. But I don’t notice as many codes (the rage seems to have died down) and I have it in my mind to ignore them.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
guidocruz Avatar
82 months ago
For years I have been saying Apple ought to do this some day. Glad they did.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...