QR code
A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that stores information, usually a web address, and can be read with a phone camera
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
QR stands for Quick Response. It was created in 1994 by the Japanese company Denso Wave to track parts in car manufacturing. It is recognisable by the three squares in its corners, which help detect its position, and error correction allows it to be read even if part of it is damaged.
Its use spread once phone cameras could read it without extra apps. It appears on packaging, posters, restaurant menus, tickets and payments. It is good practice to say what people will find when they scan it, link to a mobile-friendly page and bear in mind that fraudulent QR codes are used for phishing, a practice known as quishing.
Also known as
QR, quick response code
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