How to Scan QR Codes with Android
When it comes to platform market share, Android continues to dominate with 2 billion monthly active devices globally*. Despite this, still not many Android devices have a built-in QR Code reader. If you’re wondering whether your smartphone or tablet natively supports QR Codes, keep on reading to find out.
What are QR Codes?
QR Codes are two-dimensional barcodes. QR stands for Quick Response which refers to the instant information access hidden in the Code. They are customizable, both in function and design, and are the best channel for connecting traditional print media with any interactive online content. If you want to learn more about the QR Code structure, read here.Can my Android phone or tablet scan QR Codes natively?
The best way to figure out if your device can read QR Codes is to open your Camera app and point it steady for 2-3 seconds towards the QR Code you want to scan. Whenever scanning is enabled, a notification will appear. If nothing happens, you may have to go to your Settings app and enable QR Code scanning. If QR Codes isn’t an option in your settings, your device unfortunately can’t scan QR Codes natively. But don’t worry, this only means you’ll have to download a third-party QR Code reader app. (Keep on reading for our top app recommendations!)How do I scan QR Codes with my camera on Android OS?
Third-party QR Code reader apps we recommend
Our personal favorite at QRCG, it’s a basic, no-fuss app that reads pretty much every type of QR Code you put in front of it.
Currently with 291,000+ reviews, this QR Code reader app is the most popular on Google Play Store.
This app is one of the top-rated on Google Play Store and, as the name suggests, includes a built-in flashlight for scanning QR Codes in a poorly lit setting.
Apps that you might already have but didn't know can also scan QR Codes
With 166 million monthly active users, this popular mobile app can also read QR Codes. Just point the camera towards the QR Code, then tap and hold the screen to open the link.
Known as a music recognizing app, Shazam can also scan QR Codes for interactive content, special offers, and ability to purchase items or share them with others.
The social network added QR Code scanning in its Lens visual discovery feature to make it “more useful and actionable for brands” that are using the platform to promote their products.
Top 9 QR Code types
Every QR Code has a specific purpose. You can provide different types of information depending on the goals of a campaign. Below are some of the popular QR Code types.
Website URL Codes open Google Chrome from your Android device and go to any page on the web.
vCard Codes allow you to save someone’s contact information directly into your address book. This type of Code is perfect on business cards and resumes at networking events. Learn more about the vCard Plus here.
Event Codes quickly save the date to your calendar from a meeting or party invitation.
Email Codes are used to send out pre-defined (but editable) messages to a specific address. For a business looking to collect customer email addresses, this is for you.
Map Codes show the exact address location and are GPS coordinate specific. On an Android device, this QR Code automatically opens Google Maps.
SMS Codes send out an editable SMS message to a certain phone number after scanning. This would be valuable for getting customers to subscribe to an SMS-only marketing list.
Wi-Fi Network Code will connect to the relevant network and present users with a notification to confirm the connection when your smartphone is linked to a Wi-Fi connection.
Phone Codes quickly dial an outgoing call instead of having to enter it manually. If you want to combine this feature with the vCard Code, check out vCard Plus.
Callback-URL Codes allow users and third-party apps to craft specialized URLs that launch a specific location of an app after scanning the QR Code.
While that’s certainly a lot of QR Codes, those aren’t the only Code types to exist. In fact, there are a lot of other functions and you can check them out here.
Marketing with QR Codes
Business owners benefit the most out of QR Codes. Any information that a company wants to provide is directly accessible to customers. Thanks to Apple, scanning Codes has become simpler than ever. And with plenty more of QR Code types along the way, there are lots of different possibilities to share high value information at a low cost. While creating QR Codes is easy, the challenging part is knowing how to use them creatively to attract and engage consumers.
How would you use QR Codes? Get clever ideas on how to use them here.
How would you use QR Codes? Get clever ideas on how to use them here.
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