How to find iOS 14 Hidden Code Scanner app

The iOS app screen displays all the apps installed on your iPhone, or is it? There is actually a hidden QR scanner app on all iPhones running iOS 14 that you normally can’t find in the app launcher. The “Code Scanner” application is already built into the iOS Camera app – this is how your phone can recognize QR codes – but can also be viewed as a standalone app if you prefer to scan QR codes that way.

To find and use the iOS 14 Code Scanner app:

1. Swipe down on your iPhone’s home screen to open the search menu.
2. Search “Code scanner”,
3. Select the app from the search results to open it.
4. Point your phone at a QR code to open the link.

It may seem redundant to open the code reader separately when the functionality is already conveniently integrated in camera app, but there are subtle differences that make Code Scanner the better option in some cases.

Code Scanner opens links with a unique in-app browser that automatically closes all windows when you exit the app. This way, you can analyze the links without cluttering up Safari. Opening QR links in Safari can sometimes be helpful, but it’s rarely a necessity. Speaking from personal experience, it’s easy to scan and open a page, forget to close the tab, then open the browser a few days later for a mess of restaurant menus and other random links. which I do not need to take resources.

Compared to the camera app, Code Scanner is useful for those quick QR scans you don’t care about, since you can scan, open and close without hesitation. And since it’s already built into your iPhone, you don’t need to download any (potentially shady) third-party QR apps from the App Store. Just be aware that the code scanner browser does not save your history or create bookmarks. If you need to save a link you scanned, it’s best to open it with your camera app and bookmark in Safari.