The iOS Camera app will finally be able to recognize QR codes within iOS 11, as was discovered yesterday during the developer-focused beta launch of Apple's new mobile operating system. On current iterations of iOS, users have to find and download a third-party QR code scanning application if they wish to use their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to scan a code.

When iOS 11 launches in the fall, the Camera app will natively provide a QR scanning function to all users. Some beta users have taken to Twitter to share a glimpse of the feature in action, and it appears expectedly straightforward: open the Camera app, point the iOS device at a QR code, and tap on the drop-down notification to act upon it.

qr code in ios 11 camera

A few examples of iOS 11 QR code scanning via @daytonlowell and @theronster

Some examples that have been shared include joining a Wi-Fi network, adding someone to your contacts, and -- presumably -- any other scanning opportunities currently offered by QR code technology. The feature is turned on by default, but can be toggled on/off within the Camera section of the Settings app.

Check out the MacRumors iOS 11 tidbits post for more information about what can be found in the newest version of iOS.

Related Forums: iPhone, iOS 11

Top Rated Comments

arggg14 Avatar
89 months ago
These are still a thing? I guess much more useful now that I don't have to find an app to read them first.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
longofest Avatar
89 months ago
Two thoughts:
#1 - QR Codes became a thing about 9 years ago, and then stopped being a thing (at least outside of package tracking) around 5 years ago. So Apple is quite late to this party. Maybe it'll come back now that iPhones support it.
#2 - At least it's coming at all. During the keynote it was only mentioned on a Chinese specific features slide, so I thought it would be handled like Emojis were initially, where it was limited to specific regions for no technical reason.
These are still a thing? I guess much more useful now that I don't have to find an app to read them first.
I’ve never used QR before in my life am I missing out?
QR codes are still used, and are handy. I use a QR code any time I go to the movies or to a sporting event as my virtual ticket to display on my smartphone. I see QR codes on development notices that go up around me that can link to more detail about what the development will entail. I also see stores display them with more information about a product, etc... I don't personally use those, but I see them.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
89 months ago

#2 - At least it's coming at all. During the keynote it was only mentioned on a Chinese specific features slide, so I thought it would be handled like Emojis were initially, where it was limited to specific regions for no technical reason.
I think it was mentioned on that Chinese-centric slide because QR codes are still a HUGE thing in China. Mobile payments in China reached US$5.5 trillion <--(that's a 't' btw) in 2016 and the majority of that was done using, you guessed it, QR codes. So to say they stopped being a thing is entirely dependent upon the perspective in which it's viewed. US consumer perspective - QR codes aren't as pervasive anymore. From Apple's business and Chinese consumer's perspective - QR codes are the bee's knees.

I assume from Apple's view, it's much more efficient to just enable QR code reading overall instead of making it regional.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
roland.g Avatar
89 months ago
Long overdue.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nicho Avatar
89 months ago
if anyone hasn't experienced the magic of QR codes, i live in China right now.

yesterday I went to a restaurant with my visiting family. at the end i asked for the bill (hadn't been there in a while) - turns out, they have a system compatible with wechat, alipay and another qr-code based payment system. scan the QR code on the corner of your table, it shows you the bill for your table - including pictures of everything you ordered, not just the text, making it easier to see if something's wrong. then you follow through the steps and pay. that's it. their system knows you've paid, you don't have to waste time queueing up to pay at the desk or waiting for the card machine to be brought to you (hint: this restaurant is veeeeeeery popular, and there's a lot of people there at any one time. it's china after all).

there are a lot of applications where qr codes just make more sense than NFC.

i can totally see ios 11.1 launching a qr code version of apple pay for china, accessible from the lock screen camera and then following the usual fingerprint authorisation procedures.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
89 months ago
Two thoughts:
#1 - QR Codes became a thing about 9 years ago, and then stopped being a thing (at least outside of package tracking) around 5 years ago. So Apple is quite late to this party. Maybe it'll come back now that iPhones support it.
#2 - At least it's coming at all. During the keynote it was only mentioned on a Chinese specific features slide, so I thought it would be handled like Emojis were initially, where it was limited to specific regions for no technical reason.
[doublepost=1496759572][/doublepost]
I’ve never used QR before in my life am I missing out?
No. When they were a thing, they were just an image you could point your iPhone at so it would visit a website. Normally the URL for the website was written out next to the image. Just for some URLs, it's quicker/easier to use the QR reader then to manually type out the URL.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...