How to scan a QR code on a Mac
QR codes usually show up on a Mac at the wrong moment: in a PDF, on a web page that wants you to sign in on your phone, in a screenshot someone sent you. Your Mac's camera faces you, so it can't scan them the way a phone does. Here's how to read one anyway.
Updated
Point your iPhone at the screen
Open the iPhone's Camera and point it at the code on your Mac's screen, then tap the link that appears. It's quick when you want the link on your phone, but no help when you need it on the Mac.
Google Lens in Chrome
In Chrome, right-click the image and choose Search image with Google. Lens reads QR codes along with everything else in the picture.
On your Mac, with Maclip
- Take a screenshot to the clipboard with
⌃⇧⌘4and drag over the code, or copy an image that holds one. - Maclip reads the code on your Mac as the image arrives, together with any text in it.
- Open the clip in the dashboard and choose Copy QR Code Content, or Open QR Code Link if it's a web address.
- It reads barcodes too, such as the ones on products and tickets.
- What the code says becomes searchable, so you can find that screenshot later by the link inside it.
- Nothing is uploaded: Maclip uses Apple's Vision framework, which runs on your Mac. See QR codes in Maclip.
Questions
Can a Mac scan a QR code without a phone?
Yes, if the code is on the screen or in an image. Google Lens in Chrome can read it, which sends the image to Google, or a clipboard manager like Maclip reads it on your Mac when you copy a screenshot of it.
How do I scan a QR code from a screenshot?
Copy the screenshot (press ⌃⇧⌘4 and drag over the code to put it straight on the clipboard). With Maclip running, the code is read automatically and you can copy or open what it says from the clip.
Is it safe to open links from QR codes?
Treat them like links in an email: look at the address before you open it. Reading the code on your Mac first, rather than tapping straight through on a phone, lets you see the full link before you go anywhere.