The advances in technology bring new ways of connecting with brands, people, and anything they think of. For instance, QR is a relatively new way through which one can even pay for purchases. However, recent Android updates are causing problems with QR Scanning. Fortunately, this article tells how to fix QR Scanner not working on Android.
How to Fix QR Scanner on Android
Android 13 came with many new features that caught the user’s eye, but it also has multiple bugs. For instance, the QR Scanner has suddenly stopped working for many users. Unfortunately, they still don’t know how to fix QR Scanner not working on Android. However, below are all the tips you need to fix this problem and get on with your work.
1. Clean Your Camera Lens.
This seems simple, but many users often forget to follow through with this step. The camera usually has smudges or accumulates dust that prevents you from capturing a clear picture. In this case, it stops the camera from recognizing the correct pattern of the QR code. For this reason, the first step is always to clean the camera lens. You can use a regular microfiber cloth to wipe down the camera lens. This can be taken one step further by using a lens cleaner fluid or Isopropyl Alcohol. For instance, take a small amount of the cleaner liquid and wipe that down with a cloth. Afterward, you will be left with a clean camera lens that immediately affects the camera’s quality. There is a setting that prevents this situation from arising. Namely, it’s the Dirty Lens Warning that many Android phones have. To do this, open the Camera app and click the settings icon. Next, select Advanced from the options list and enable the Show Dirty Lens Warning feature. This will warn the user if the camera lens is dirty.
2. Check the Lighting of Your Surroundings.
This step is also simple but effective in most cases because the camera needs light to capture quality photos. However, insufficient light causes blurred or pixelated photos, preventing the device from recognizing QR codes. To prevent this from happening, ensure there is a good light source near the place of the QR code.
3. Check if Google Lens Suggestions Feature is Enabled.
A major aspect of scanning QR codes in Android phones is enabling the Google Lens Suggestions feature. Basically, this feature allows the camera to directly scan a QR code and then show the relevant web link. To do this, the user has to open their Camera app and head to the Settings tab on their screen. You should be able to see the Google Lens Suggestions feature directly. Next, just make sure it’s on and proceed to scan a QR code. If the camera scans and shows the web link, the QR scanning problem will not persist anymore. However, if it still remains, proceed to the next step.
4. Update Google Lens.
This step relates to the aforementioned solution. Specifically, this step is after you turn on the Google Lens feature, but the scanning problem still persists. Aside from this, you can automatically update your apps by turning on the auto-update feature.
5. Force Quit and Relaunch Camera App.
Another step you can take is force quitting the Camera app and relaunching it. This immediately stops the camera from functioning and allows the app to reset. After relaunching, it should also work faster and give an overall smoother performance. To force quit and restart your camera app, follow these steps: Users can reboot their devices after force quitting the app, which gives an overall boost to the phone’s performance. In addition, it also closes other apps on the phone, which may be causing the problem in scanning QR codes. For this reason, make sure to reboot everything and then open the Camera app again to see if it works.
6. Update the Version of Android.
The last step you can take is to update your device’s current version of Android. Many bugs come with Android updates. Fortunately, some patches are also constantly released, and users can download them. However, you may have skipped those updates and consequently are facing issues with the QR Scanner. To update your system, do the following: However, this step takes some time, so make sure you have no use for your device for the next couple of minutes. The user now has to unlock their phone again and open the Camera app to check if it’s scanning. If you follow all these steps correctly, your QR Scanner should start working again. There is a chance that it still may not work, so repeat the steps, as you may have skipped a crucial step. Hopefully, now you know how to fix QR Scanner not working on Android. Keep in mind that there are bugs and issues with the new updates. However, don’t be afraid if you face something because there will always be guides available like this. If this guide helped you, please share it. 😊
