Why You May Need to Scan a QR Code from a Screenshot There are many situations where you need to scan a QR Code from a screenshot instead of using a camera. You receive a QR code in chat or email The code is saved as an image or PDF You are using a laptop or desktop You don’t have a second device to scan Insight: Many users assume QR codes can only be scanned using a camera, but with digital sharing like screenshots and PDFs, scanning QR codes from images is now just as important.