Overview
- Coverage this week (Oct. 14–15) showed that both major mobile platforms can read QR codes stored as images or screenshots on the same device.
- On iPhone, save the QR code image then open it in Photos and use Live Text or a long press to highlight and tap the embedded URL or action.
- On Android, open the screenshot in Google Lens or use Circle-to-Search where available to detect the QR pattern and show the linked content.
- To capture a code on-screen take a screenshot using your phone’s button combo (examples: Android Power + Volume Down; iPhone Side/Power + Volume Up), then open that image in Photos or Lens.
- Users should always check the displayed URL before opening links because correct recognition does not guarantee a site is safe, and feature availability can vary by OS version and device model.