- on device
- QR code
QR Code Decoder
Choose, drop or paste pictures to inspect every QR code locally before you use what it contains.
Questions
What does a QR code actually store?
A QR code stores bytes together with symbol metadata. Those bytes may represent text, a web address, Wi-Fi settings, contact or calendar data, a payment request, an account secret or binary data. This decoder shows the library’s text reading and the original content bytes separately.
Why does the decoded text look broken, and what is ECI?
Bytes need a character encoding to become text. A QR code can name one with an Extended Channel Interpretation (ECI) assignment, but many codes omit it and leave the reading library to guess. When unlabelled text looks corrupted, the charset switch shows how the same bytes look under other encodings; it does not prove which one the author intended.
What are QR version and error-correction level?
The version sets the symbol size: version 1 is 21 by 21 modules, and each later version adds four modules per side. The L, M, Q and H correction levels trade storage capacity for more recovery from missing or damaged modules. They do not guarantee that a blurred, cropped or altered picture can be decoded.
Can one QR code be split into several parts?
QR structured append can divide content among as many as 16 symbols. Use Add picture to collect the parts. The decoder joins them only when every position is present once and the parity check agrees, then labels the result as a possible assembly because that small check cannot prove the parts belong together.
Why can a QR code still be unreadable?
The square may be cropped, too small, out of focus, distorted, covered by glare or damaged beyond its correction capacity. Try a sharper image with the whole code and some clear space around it. A screenshot is usually better than a photograph of a screen; for a PDF, take a screenshot of the page.
Can I read a QR code before scanning it with my phone?
Yes. Save or screenshot the code, then choose or paste that picture here. Decoding happens in this browser tab and does not visit an address found inside the code. A web address is contacted only if you explicitly press Open after reviewing it.
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