iPhone and iPad
- Open the Camera and point it at the code — no need to take a photo.
- Tap the yellow Contact banner that appears.
- Tap Create New Contact (or Add to Existing Contact) and Done.
Codes in a photo or screenshot: open it in Photos, touch and hold the code, then choose Add to Contacts.
Android
- Open the Camera and point it at the code. On many phones a QR icon or banner appears; tap it.
- If nothing happens, use Google Lens (in the camera, the Google app or the search bar) and tap the result.
- Choose Add contact, pick where to save it and tap Save.
Samsung Galaxy: if the camera doesn't react, turn on Scan QR codes in the camera settings, or use the QR scanner in the quick-settings panel.
When nothing happens
- Too close or too far: the code should fill about a third of the screen.
- Screen glare or dim screen: ask the other person to turn their brightness up.
- Very dense code: it holds too much text; ask for the card link or .vcf file instead.
- It opens a website instead: that's a link QR code — look for a Save contact button on the page.
- Inverted colors (light code on dark): some phones can't read these.
Show your own code
Make your contact QR code on this page, save it to your photos, and show it from your phone at events. How to share your contact as a QR code
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an app to scan a contact QR code?
No. The iPhone camera and most Android cameras read them; Google Lens works on almost every Android phone.
Does scanning a contact QR code need internet?
No. A vCard QR code holds the contact itself.
Is it safe to scan QR codes?
A contact QR code only fills in a new contact, which you see and approve before saving. Be careful with codes that open unknown websites.
Can I scan a QR code from a screenshot?
Yes — on iPhone touch and hold the code in Photos; on Android open the image with Google Lens.
Contact files follow vCard 3.0 (RFC 2426); QR codes follow ISO/IEC 18004. Checked 2026-11-07.