Easy Ways to Connect to Wi-Fi with a QR Code on Windows

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Join a Wi-Fi network quickly on a Windows 11 or 10 PC

Co-authored by Nicole Levine, MFA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: February 23, 2026 Fact Checked

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Scanning the Code

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Extracting Wi-Fi Info from the Code

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Other Ways to Connect to Wi-Fi

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If you're in a cafe, airport, or other public location that offers Wi-Fi to guests and customers, you may be asked to scan a QR code to connect to the Wi-Fi network. It's easy enough to scan a QR code on your phone, but what if you need to connect your Windows computer to the network? Fortunately, it's easy to connect to Wi-Fi using a QR code on Windows. Read on to learn how to scan a QR code in Windows and use it to connect to the internet wirelessly. We'll also show you some other simple ways to get online if you run into trouble.

Quick Steps

Open the Camera app on your Windows laptop.
Click the QR code icon on the right to switch to the scanner.
Align the QR code in the camera's view to scan it.
Tap Yes to open your Wi-Fi settings.
Check the "connect automatically" box and click Add to connect.

Section 1 of 3:

Scanning the QR Code with Your Webcam

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1
Open the Camera app on your Windows PC. As long as you are using a Windows laptop with a built-in webcam, you can use the Camera app to connect to Wi-Fi using a QR code.
- To open the Camera app, press the Windows key on your keyboard, type camera, and click Camera in the search results.
- If you're using an older version of Windows or don't have a built-in webcam, you may not be able to use this method. If scanning the QR code doesn't work for you, see Extracting Wi-Fi Info from the QR Code.
You'll see it below the video camera and still camera options on the right side of the Camera app.^{[1]
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If it's not possible for you to bring your laptop close enough to the Wi-Fi QR code, you can take a picture of the code with your Android, iPhone, or iPad, and hold the picture up to your webcam instead. Once the Camera app reads the code, you'll see a message that says "Camera is trying to open Settings."^{[2]
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Click Yes to open your Wi-Fi settings.
- You will also see the Wi-Fi details beneath the pop-up window–if, for some reason, you aren't able to connect automatically, you can use the Wi-Fi network name and password you see in those details.
This connects your Windows computer to the Wi-Fi network using the scanned QR code. It also adds the Wi-Fi network to your list of networks, making it easy to connect automatically in the future.^{[3]
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Section 2 of 3:

Extracting Wi-Fi Info from the QR Code

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If you aren't able to connect to Wi-Fi by scanning the QR code, you can still get the Wi-Fi network name and password by uploading a picture of the code to a QR code scanner tool. Of course, you will need internet access to do this–if you don't have internet access on your Windows laptop, use the camera app on your phone or tablet instead.
Instead of scanning the code, just capture a photo.
Go to the Free QR Code Scanner website–you can do this on a computer, phone, or tablet–click or tap Upload QR Code, and select the photo of the QR code you captured.
The name of the Wi-Fi network (SSID) you're connecting to will appear next to "Network name," and the password will appear next to "Password." Now you can manually connect your computer to Wi-Fi by selecting that network name and entering the password.

Section 3 of 3:

Other Ways to Connect to Wi-Fi

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Use your phone as a mobile hotspot. If your Windows computer doesn't have a built-in webcam, you can still connect to Wi-Fi by sharing your phone's internet connection (if supported by your carrier). When you share the internet from your Android or iPhone, you can connect your Windows computer to Wi-Fi by selecting your phone's name as the Wi-Fi network.
- iPhone: Open Settings, tap Personal Hotspot, and toggle on "Allow Others to Join." You can create a custom password for your hotspot or use the default option.^{[4]
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- Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen, long-tap the Hotspot icon, then turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot.^{[5]
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Get the Wi-Fi network name and password from someone. If you're in a public location that offers Wi-Fi via a QR code, ask someone who's already connected to check their Wi-Fi settings–in their settings, they can find the name of the Wi-Fi network, as well as the password for connecting. You can find the Wi-Fi password on any device:
- On a Windows PC, click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar, click the arrow next to the Wi-Fi network, then click the Info icon (the i in a circle) next to the network's name. Click the button that says Show next to "Wi-Fi network password" to display it in clear text.^{[6]
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- On a Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > Network > Wi-Fi. Click Advanced to open the list of Wi-Fi networks, click ••• next to the network name, then click Copy Password. Paste the password into any app to reveal it.^{[7]
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- On Android, open Settings > Connections (or Settings > Network & Internet), and select your Wi-Fi network. Tap Share to display the password.^{[8]
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  - If you don't see Share, tap the gear icon, then tap the crossed-out eye icon to reveal the password.
- On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the network you're connected to. Tap the Info button (the i in a circle), then tap the Password field to reveal it.^{[9]
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