Recognition programs. The best applications for reading barcodes

Most modern (and even not the most modern) smartphones can read both QR codes (including those with automatic recognition of website URLs) and regular bar codes with encrypted product data.

Thanks to this option, almost every mobile user today can not only quickly read a brief description of a particular product, but also quickly compare, for example, its cost with the prices of other sellers and get acquainted with reviews of the product from those customers who have already purchased it before.

All that is required for this is the mobile device itself (tablet, smartphone, player, in general, more about this on stylus.com.ua), preferably with a high-quality camera, and a good mobile application for scanning and reading QR and barcodes .

Plus some ability to properly handle this very useful mobile software in our time.

There are already more than enough such applications today, they are usually distributed free of charge, and you can download them anywhere. However, due to the extremely wide range of such programs, choosing one that will work quickly and efficiently turned out to be not so simple. Nevertheless, it is possible to find them, or rather, they have already been found.

Let’s talk about them in a little more detail. So

How to Read QR Codes Using an Android Smartphone (or Tablet)

STEP 1
Go to Google Play and download the free application QR Code Reader. The file size is approximately 3MB depending on the smartphone model.

STEP 2
Install and open the program. Next, we simply point the lens of the smartphone’s main camera at any QR code (or simply open the finished photo with the code through this reader), and the application will do the rest itself.

Important nuance : QR Code Reader automatically changes the browser, so if you want to use the browser that you are used to and that is already installed on your smartphone, then in the application settings you only need to uncheck the corresponding checkbox.

How to Read Barcodes Using an Android Smartphone (or Tablet)

Let's say you need to scan a barcode on the packaging of a product in a supermarket to get more detailed information about that product and/or compare the listed price with what other stores offer. This requires:

STEP 1
Download the application (also free and also from Google Play) ShopSavvy. Its size is less than 1 megabyte

STEP 2
The program will ask you to register on the ShopSavvy website. However, this procedure is not mandatory. Therefore, we can spend a couple of minutes creating an account, or we can do without it. Operating the application is also simple. Open it, click the scanner button in the upper right corner of the screen, point the smartphone camera at the barcode and then read the information received.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. While writing the last article, I discovered on their main page a tricky code for smartphones that had not yet become commonplace. I recently became acquainted with this topic and therefore today I want to talk about such a thing as QR codes.

For many, this type of barcode has already become commonplace, while others still do not quite understand what we are actually talking about. It is precisely for such comrades (to whom, until recently, I myself was one) that this article is dedicated.

Let's start with the fact that the popularity of this type of information encoding is explained primarily by the development of technology and the almost universal distribution of phones with a good camera and decent performance. To decrypt a QR code, it is enough to have a regular mobile phone and a decoding program installed on it.

What is usually encrypted in this way? Well, first of all, these are logistics (i.e. replacing the usual barcode), bank receipts to speed up the reading of information from them, as well as ordinary things: links on advertising posters or websites and business card data, which will immediately be open in your cell phone's browser, or entered into his address book.

Purpose of QR codes and their use

QR codes are primarily about convenience. But let's see how you can create them yourself in online generators, as well as read and decrypt them on your cell phones. Well, since this blog belongs to the topic of webmastering, we will consider plugins for WordPress that will allow you to display a barcode with its URL on each page of the site, for example, to add it to your smartphone bookmarks.

This barcode variation looks something like this:

It consists of an image in which, as a rule, one can always distinguish three large squares. They serve as guidelines when deciphering the code by programs for reading it - they help determine the level of inclination and clearly refer to the scale. Previously, a simpler one-dimensional (linear) barcode was used everywhere:

Using a barcode, you can encrypt only 20 to 30 characters and this was quite enough, for example, for the needs. QR is one of the varieties of a two-dimensional barcode and allows you to significantly increase the amount of information contained in it. Ideally, it can be used to convert up to two and a half printed pages of text into a relatively small image.

In reality they code from several tens to hundreds of characters, because a larger number may cause difficulties in decoding by mobile phones in non-ideal conditions. In addition, up to 30 percent of the information can be given over to redundancy, which will allow the QR code to be decrypted even if it is partially damaged or in poor conditions.

The Japanese got the whole world hooked on this “infection”. One of their companies developed the principles of encoding and decryption in the mid-nineties of the last century. Well, the widespread use of cell phones in the land of the rising sun has provided the majority of the population with personal barcode scanners.

The fashion for QR codes is slowly sweeping the post-Soviet space. In any case, these intricate pictures are already found quite often on websites or in subway advertising. And placing a barcode on a business card will be a good solution, allowing you to add all your coordinates to your potential partner’s mobile phone with one click (the scanner program will not only decipher the encoded information, but also send the data to contacts or open the link in the browser):

If, for example, you wanted to add an interesting article to your cell phone bookmarks (for reading it on the go), then for all modern browsers there are add-ons and plugins that allow you to encode the URL of the address in QR, and then you can read it with your mobile phone camera and the specified page will be opened in a mobile browser. The same applies to selected text fragments.

How to create a QR code - online generators

Just above we looked at generators integrated into browsers, but their online versions look much more functional, which can encode the information you need (URL address, text, personal data from a business card, SMS, phone number, etc.) and create an image of the desired size for you. You can save the resulting barcode image on your computer or get a link to it.

QR Hacker— serves to create exclusive images with barcodes that you can color, round their corners and even add your logo. Because Since this technology initially contains code redundancy (up to 30%), these abuses will not lead to loss of information.

First, in the left panel of the generator, select the data type - this is necessary so that the decryptor program in your mobile phone knows what to do with this data in the future - open a link in the browser, show text, add data to contacts, or do something else. In the next step, in the form located just below, enter what you want to encode (in my case, this is the URL - https://site) and click on the “Generate” button.

A regular black and white QR code will appear in the editor window, which can either be saved as is or colored. All editor tools are located in the right panel. If we consider them from top to bottom, then first comes the engine for rounding corners of elements, then tools for setting the background color, or loading and adjusting the transparency of the background image.

Well, just below are the tools for coloring the elements themselves (just like Pet Shop children’s coloring books) and placing the logo on the surface of the created barcode. Below the image you are mocking is a color scale that indirectly characterizes its readability. In the screenshot just above, readability is on the brink, although my phone with the I-nigma decryption program installed (in tune with, isn’t it) coped with this task with a bang.

QR Coder.ru— a simple barcode generator with an interface in Russian. First, you should select the type of information that you want to embed in the picture (text, business card, SMS or URL) so that the reading program will offer you the necessary options for further actions. For example, in the case of a business card, you will be asked to fill out the following fields:

For links, this will be opening in the browser, and for business card data, saving in contacts (or dialing the number from the business card):

Qrmania.ru- another Russian-language QR code generator with slightly more advanced functionality, which is primarily associated with a wide variety of types of information that can be encoded and color settings of the final image:
It is possible to encode an E-mail address and an entire email message indicating the addressee, subject and text of the letter. In addition, you can encode a phone number (it would be convenient if girls wore badges or bags with such a barcode), Twitter messages and even coordinates on Google maps. Plague!
In general, of course, the Qrmania service can be called the apotheosis of QR generators, because the created image can not only be saved on your computer, but also ordered to be printed on a T-shirt, baseball cap, badge, bag and other small items for quite reasonable money:
Qrcc.ru is a less pretentious, but also functional Russian online generator with the ability to order printing of the created QR code on clothes and things.
There are several more generators from the Kaywa service (one and two), which do not stand out in anything special, but they have their place.
The developers of the popular i-nigma mobile scanner also have their own barcode creator.
Oh, yes, another bourgeois service Goqr.me is worth mentioning, because the design is nice. Well, that's enough, I guess.

Yes, at the beginning of the article I mentioned something that would allow you to generate QRs on the fly for your blog pages. I almost forgot about this, but I’ll still provide a link to the page of the author of these plugins. I myself have not yet realized the need to attach a barcode to all blog pages, but perhaps I will change my mind over time.

Well, and finally, I won’t fail to provide a link to the article, where you can see several dozen highly artistic barcodes. It is noteworthy that all the pictures from this article I checked can be confidently deciphered by a mobile phone.

How to decrypt a barcode - programs and online services

Another question is how one can decipher such intricate pictures on a mobile phone. The range of such programs is quite large and a lot will depend on the type of your phone, or rather on the OS on which it runs (Android, iOS, etc.).

Personally, I use a Nokia E72 phone and most of all I liked I-nigma - just follow this link from your cell phone, the developers’ site will automatically determine the type of your device and offer to download a program for reading and decoding QR codes. In my opinion, everything you can think of is supported (in terms of phone models). You can find a screenshot of I-nigma’s work just above the text.

However, before looking further at mobile phone scanning programs, I want to address online services that help you decipher any barcode. You can’t imagine why this might be needed right off the bat, but if such services exist, then there is a need for them too.

I think that more online services that allow you to decode any barcode will not be needed, because these are rather force majeure actions that have nothing to do with the convenience of mobile recognition.

Yes, still worth mentioning desktop program, because he also has the right to life. It's called BarCapture.

It will be enough to simply circle the area with the QR code and after releasing the mouse you will find out the answer to what exactly was encrypted in it. In my opinion, this program works worse than its counterparts on a cell phone, so I don’t particularly recommend using it, unless there is force majeure and you don’t have a cell phone at hand.

Well, now is the time to move on to the most popular programs for reading and decoding barcodes for mobile phones:

I-nigma - already mentioned this program, which exists for different mobile platforms
Barcodes Scanner is a popular application that exists in variations for Android and iOS.
QuickMark - suitable for almost any mobile device
BeeTagg is another universal program for scanning and recognizing QR codes, suitable for a huge number of mobile phone models
UpCode is again a multi-platform scanner and decoder
Neo Reader - well, you get the idea
Decipher a QR code yourself - an article on Habré about how to do without reading programs

Well, I want to say goodbye in an unconventional manner:

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

You can watch more videos by going to

");">

Recognition applications

Data-lazy-type="image" data-src="http://androidkak.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/sponsor-opportunities1.jpg" alt="scanning" width="300" height="200"> !} Among the variety of software for reading QR codes, the following 5 programs stand out:

QR Droid. After opening the application, you can immediately start reading the code. If there is a URL in it, the built-in browser will automatically open. This feature can be disabled in the application settings. With QR Droid you can not only decipher codes, but also create your own. To do this, select the appropriate item in the application menu.
BIDI. This program for reading QR codes is convenient for Android and is similar to the previous one. There is a function to place a cipher created by the service on a business card, the template of which is available in the menu.
QR Code Reader. A laconic application with a decryption history and a flash button. Recognizes information through the camera or scans a finished image from the gallery. The service can both read QRs and create them.
Neo Reader. This program is used not only for QR recognition, but also for decoding barcodes. If the application was unable to scan the information, you can independently enter the numbers written under the code. There is an option to bind to a location and adjust the sound level. QR recognition by this service is very fast. You cannot create your own codes using Neo Reader, but as an alternative, the application offers the user a link to the corresponding resource.
QR Reader. A program with an original interface. It is more convenient to use the scanner in horizontal mode. The function works in the same way as in previous programs: after launching the application, you need to bring your mobile device to the matrix image and wait for decryption. There is a history of recognized ciphers, bookmarks and the ability to create your own codes.

Using ciphers

Data-lazy-type="image" data-src="http://androidkak.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/vnimanie-150x150.jpg" alt="Attention!" width="50" height="50"> !} QR differs from a barcode in its larger scope. It is used in many areas - from advertising to entertainment. This type of encoding can encrypt website URLs, information about a work of art (painting, sculpture) or a link to your page on a social network. But what is this for, and how to use the QR code?

QR encoding is used to encrypt various data, including mailbox addresses or URL links. Mobile applications are usually used to scan and decrypt QR codes. They allow you to work with the received data, for example, open links through a browser. In this regard, many companies use barcodes as an opportunity to advertise official websites and their pages on social networks. They also distribute links for downloading and installing applications using a QR code. This is convenient, for example, as a marketing ploy for a soft drink manufacturer. He organizes a competition, places a barcode on the bottle, the client reads it, downloads the application and participates in the promotion.

Quick Response encoding has been used since the late 90s. At first, phone numbers and mailboxes were encoded in it, but over time, webmasters noticed that links encrypted in QR looked very impressive and began to use encoding to distribute site URLs. In addition, the Quick Response barcode does not steal traffic from pages and allows you to distribute links without affecting the site's web weight.

How to download an application via QR code

If you are asked to open a QR link to an application in the Play Market, you can only open it using a special scanner utility, which you also need to have on your phone first. That is, if this is your first time encountering such a task, you most likely do not have the necessary scanner program on your phone, and you need to install it. The most popular is QR Code Reader; it has analogues on all operating systems of modern smartphones. Of course, you can use other applications, for example: “QR Code Scanner”, “Neo Reader”, “Barcode Scanner”, “QuickMark”. We wrote more about programs for scanning QR codes.

After installing the scanner, you will be able to use Quick Response links to applications in the Play Market; to do this, do the following:

Scan the QR with your mobile phone using the utility; you can do this directly from your computer screen. Open the QR code reader application installed on your mobile phone;
The scanner will open, point the camera at the computer screen so that the code completely falls within the viewfinder;
After scanning, the application will instantly decipher the encoding and display the information on the screen;
If this is a URL link, you will be asked to open it through a browser;
If this is a link to a page on Google Play, then the “Use Play Store” button will appear in the list of actions
Next, a page with the application will open and you can begin installing it;
Click “Install”, wait for the application to download;
When the application is ready for use, the “Open” button will appear. With its help, you can launch it and use it after that.

Please note that applications are distributed via Quick Response codes not only on the Android platform. In the same way, you can download applications for Windows Phone or iOS by simply opening the page through the Microsoft Store or through the App Store, depending on which operating system you use. An Internet connection is not required to scan the code, but in order to download the application via a link encoded in Quick Response, you must have access to the network - via Wi-Fi or mobile communications.

Two-dimensional QR codes (English: quick response) were developed in Japan by Denso-Wave in 1994 for the needs of the automotive industry. Over time, QR codes have become widespread in a variety of fields due to their efficient way of storing encoded information. The information itself can be anything: links to websites, phone numbers, email addresses, texts of several thousand characters.

In order to decipher the information contained in the QR code, you need to scan and read it. Most modern smartphones successfully cope with this task.

How to scan a QR code
The built-in cameras of mobile devices are used to scan the QR code. A special application recognizes QR codes, receives their detailed display and deciphers the information contained in them.

Let's consider solving the problem of scanning QR codes using the example of applications for the most popular smartphone platforms: iOS for iPhone and Android for mobile devices from various manufacturers.

Application for scanning QR codes on iPhone
To enable your iPhone to work with QR codes and scan them, follow these steps.
Example of scanning QR codes on Android
On the Android platform, working with QR codes is not fundamentally different from similar actions on iOS.
Of course, the application we reviewed is far from the only program for scanning QR codes on mobile devices. You can try other applications yourself and find the most convenient option among them.

There are also programs for reading QR codes for personal computers. They can also be successfully used to scan single codes. If you need to work with a large number of codes, then it makes sense to think about purchasing a special hand-held barcode scanner that connects to a computer via a USB port and has much better performance.