Questions and answers

QR Code Scan Kit is a QR code scanner and barcode scanner for iPhone and iPad, made by BUILDLANES. It reads QR codes and 16 barcode formats, shows where a link really goes before it opens, joins Wi-Fi in one tap, and makes QR codes and barcodes. Scanning works offline, there is no account, and scans stay on the phone.

BUILDLANES, a small app studio in India. Support is by email at Copy emailEmail us.

iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 or later. An Android version is also made by BUILDLANES.

13 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Traditional), Arabic, Indonesian, Thai, Turkish. The app follows your phone's language.

No. There is no sign-up and no login. Your scans, history and the codes you make stay on your phone.

For a code you trust, the iPhone Camera app is enough: point it at the code and tap the link. A scanner app is worth it when you want to see the full address before a link opens, read shop barcodes, scan codes from photos or keep a history. QR Code Scan Kit does those things for free, with no account and no third-party ads. Our comparison page shows what each option can and can't do.

QR codes and 16 barcode formats: Micro QR, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, ISBN, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF, ITF-14, Codabar, GS1 DataBar, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec.

Yes. Tap Photos in the scanner and pick the picture. It finds every QR code and barcode in it, so codes sent in a chat or saved from a website work too.

Yes. Codes are read on the phone, so scanning works offline. Only extras need a connection: product details from Open Food Facts and link previews.

Yes. Batch scan keeps reading code after code, and scanning the same code again counts one more, so you can count stock. Export the list as a CSV file that opens in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.

Yes. If a label is torn or won't scan, type the digits under the barcode and the app looks it up the same way.

Scan the Wi-Fi QR code and tap Join network. The app reads the network name and password from the code and your iPhone joins, so you never type the password.

Scanning itself is safe; the risk is the link a code opens. Fake QR codes (quishing) send people to look-alike login or payment pages. QR Code Scan Kit shows the real address before anything opens and warns about common tricks such as look-alike letters, hidden redirects, a bare IP address or an app installer file. It never calls a link "safe": if a code asks you to log in or pay when you didn't expect it, don't.

Look for a sticker placed over another code, a link that doesn't match the business, a short link that hides where it goes, spelling tricks in the site name, and pages that rush you to pay or log in. Our guide on spotting fake QR codes lists every sign and what to do if you were caught.

No. The risky-link check runs on your phone. If you leave link previews on, the app loads the scanned website to show a preview, like any visit; links the check marks as dangerous are never loaded. You can turn previews off in Settings.

Yes. The built-in QR code generator makes codes for links, text, Wi-Fi, contacts, email, phone, SMS, events and places, and you can add your colours, a logo, a frame and a caption.

No. They are static QR codes: the information is inside the code itself, so they never expire, need no account to keep working, and still work if you delete the app. The trade-off: you can't change a static code after you print it.

No. QR Code Scan Kit only makes static codes. It has no dynamic codes, no scan tracking and no web dashboard.

Yes: EAN-13, UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-8, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF-14, ITF, Codabar, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec, with the check digit added for you. Export as PNG or SVG, or print.

Yes. Social codes open a WhatsApp chat or an Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X, LinkedIn or Telegram profile, with that network's logo in the middle.

Scan a food barcode to see its health grade (A to E), sugar, fat and salt levels, how processed it is and its additives, from Open Food Facts, a free public database. Coverage varies by country and only listed products show up. It is a guide to compare products, not medical, diet or allergy advice.

No. The app doesn't check allergens, gluten or halal status and doesn't look up prices.

From Open Food Facts (and Open Beauty Facts for cosmetics), free public databases anyone can improve. Only the barcode number is sent to look the product up. If a product is missing or wrong, it can be fixed at openfoodfacts.org.

Free to download. Some extra features are part of Scan Kit Pro — you'll see the options and prices in the app. There is no account to create.

An optional in-app purchase that adds extra features. The app shows what it includes and the price in your own currency before you confirm, and you can keep using the app without it.

In the app, open Settings and tap Restore, signed in with the same Apple Account (or Google account on Android) you bought with.

Purchases are handled by Apple and Google. On iPhone open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions; on Android open Google Play, then Payments & subscriptions. Refunds are requested from Apple or Google too. The support page has the steps.

No third-party ads and no ad networks. The app may show small cards for our own products.

Your scans, history and the codes you make stay on your phone, and nothing you scan is sent to us. The app sends anonymous usage stats and crash reports (never what you scan) to PostHog on EU servers to fix bugs, and you can turn them off in Settings with "Share usage anonymously". Purchases go through Apple, and RevenueCat keeps your purchase status under a random ID. The privacy policy lists every detail.

No. The app doesn't use the advertising ID (IDFA), shows no tracking prompt and doesn't track you across other companies' apps or websites.

Only the barcode number, sent to Open Food Facts (or Open Beauty Facts) to look the product up. Like any web request, they see your IP address. Photos and scan history are never uploaded.