QR codes have undoubtedly made our lives easier. Since their advent, they have proven to be quite effective in regards to making transactions easier, scanning menus, and for other uses. QR code is nothing but a scannable pattern that stores a lot of data. This data can turn into a link, image, or text. Especially, after the Android 13 update, it has become quite easy to scan a QR code. However, if you are an Android user chances are you can fail to scan this code on your phone. If you are someone dealing with the same issue resulting in Android camera QR code not working issue then you have come to the right place. In our today’s doc, we will be discussing the reasons that trigger camera not scanning QR code and different methods that you can attempt to fix this issue. Also we have shown how to fix Google lens QR code not working issue. So, let us begin by uncovering the leading issues and then with various methods to resolve the QR code not working on your Android phone.
How to Fix Android Camera QR Code Not Working
In this article, we have given the solutions to solve camera not reading QR code issue on Android device.
Reasons Behind Android Camera QR Code Not Working Issue
There are a number of issues that can stop QR codes from working on your Android phone, let us look at these reasons below:
- Issues with the camera lens of your Android phone.
- Wrong placement of QR code.
- Lighting and distance issues.
- Google Lens suggestions feature turned off.
- Outdated version of Google Lens.
- Outdated version of the Android operating system.
How to Fix Google Lens QR Code Not Working
The QR code scanner on your Android phone might not be working due to opening a web page, signing into a social account, or due to the reasons mentioned above. If so, there are a few methods that you can easily attempt on your device to fix the problem right away. Let us have a look at these tested & tried methods in detail below:
Note: Since Android smartphones do not have the same Settings options, they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Hence, ensure the correct settings before changing any on your device. The steps are performed on Vivo 1920 and may vary for other Android devices.
Method 1: Clean Camera Lens
The first thing that you would want to do in order to fix the QR code issue on your Android device is to clean your camera lens. Sometimes, dirt on your camera lens can keep you from reading the code properly. You can therefore swipe the camera with a clean cloth to remove the dirt from it. Once you have cleaned, try scanning the code properly again.
Method 2: Relaunch Camera
Another easy solution to fix the issue of QR not working is to force quit the Camera application and then relaunch it. It is extremely is to attempt, you can check the steps below for relaunch camera process:
1. Long press the Camera icon on your Android device.
2. Now, select App info from the pop-up menu.
3. Tap on Force stop in the App info window.
4. After a few seconds, tap on Camera to launch it again, and check if you can scan the QR code now.
Also Read: How to Get QR Code from Carrier
Method 3: Use In-Built QR Code Scanner
Another quick fix that you can try to fix camera not reading QR code issue is to press and hold the camera screen. With the new Android update, the in-build QR code scanner helps to scan the code quite easily. This feature is already present in the camera and can be used by following the steps below:
1. Launch the Camera application on your Android phone.
2. Point the camera at the code and tap on the screen.
3. Tap on the square code scanning area to process the code.
4. Wait for a few seconds for the device to scan the code.
Method 4: Manually Enable QR Code
You can also enable the QR code manually to resolve Android camera QR code not working problem. Manually doing so will help you to analyze the code easily.
1. Open Camera on your Android device.
2. Tap on Settings on your Camera screen.
3. Now, activate Google Lens suggestions.
Method 5: Resolve Lighting and Distance Issues
The next thing which is important to consider while scanning the code is the distance and lighting between your Android device and the code. Issues in lighting and distance can inevitably create a problem in scanning QR code. So, follow the suggestions provided below to resolve this issue:
- In the case of low lighting environment, turn on the light because bright light is a necessity during scanning QR codes.
- Make sure that no shadows fall on the code while the scanning process.
- You can also use a plain or simple background while code scanning to avoid confusing your camera focus.
- You should ensure that your phone camera is at a suitable angle and not tilted.
- You should also take care of the distance by making sure to not hold your Android device too close or too far away from the code.
Method 6: Install Google Lens
If you already don’t have Google Lens installed on your Android then you must download it now to avoid camera not scanning QR code issue. Google Lens makes it extremely easy to scan QR codes and does not leave any possibility of errors.
If you have installed the app, then try to update it to solve Google lens QR code not working issue.
Also Read: How to Scan QR Codes with an Android phone
Method 7: Enable Google Lens Feature
Downloading Google Lens is not enough, you need to enable Google Lens to activate it to scan codes. Enabling it will help you to access the relevant page link. Scanning the code is managed by Google Lens Suggestions feature in the Camera application of your Android device. You can follow the steps below to turn it on and resolve camera not reading QR code:
1. Launch the Camera application on your Android phone.
2. Now, tap on the Settings icon on the Camera home screen.
3. Go to the General section.
4. Navigate to Google Lens suggestions in it and swipe the toggle on.
Method 8: Update Google Lens
If the Google Lens application installed on your Android phone is outdated it can result in camera not scanning QR code. Therefore, once you have enabled the Google Lens feature, you must make sure that the app is up-to-date. You can learn all about updating apps on your Android phone with the help of our guide on How To Automatically Update All Android Apps At Once.
Also Read: 14 Best Fixes for WhatsApp Web QR Code Not Working Issue
Method 9: Update Android
Along with updating the Google Lens app on your device, you must also make sure that your operating system is updated with the newest version available. There can be a glitch in your system causing the Camera to act up and not scan the QR code. So, try updating your Android software with the help of our guide on How To Manually Update Android to Latest Version.
Method 10: Use Third-Party QR Code Scanner
Not just Google Lens but there are other applications in the Play Store of an Android phone that can help you with scanning the QR code easily and resolving Android camera QR code not working. You can simply open the Play Store and search for a QR code scanner in it to find yourself a perfect fit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Why doesn’t my Android camera scan the code?
Ans. If your Android camera is unable to scan a code, there must be an issue with the angle of your camera or camera lens itself.
Q2. Why does my Samsung phone not scan QR codes?
Ans. If your Samsung phone can’t scan the QR code, you must enable it in the camera settings of your phone.
Q3. Are all Android phones able to scan QR codes?
Ans. Most Android phones with Android 9 software running on their systems can scan QR codes.
Q4. Can an Android phone scan a QR code without an app?
Ans. Yes, Android phones can scan QR codes without an app.
Q5. Why is my Android camera not working?
Ans. If your Android camera is not working, it might be due to the app’s cache. You can operate it by clearing the camera cache first.
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We hope that our guide on Android camera QR code not working was elaborate enough and helped you inform about different ways in which you can start scanning QR codes from your Android phone. For more, leave your queries and suggestions with us in the comments section below.
