QR codes have been around since the mid-90s, but there is a chance you have never needed to scan one until recently.
You can use them to do things like download apps or look up information, but often a quick search tends to be quicker and easier.
As with many things in life, however, the coronavirus pandemic has changed all this.
Now, you need to scan a QR code to be allowed into a pub, restaurant and other public spaces.
But how do they actually work? Here is everything you need to know…
How to scan a QR code on iPhone and Android phones
Scanning a QR code is very simple – you do not need a separate app, you do it through your phone’s camera. It is the same whether you have an iPhone or Android phones such as the Google Pixel, Samsung or Huawei.
Open your camera, point it at the QR code and hold it steady for a few seconds. Your phone will read the code and then a notification will appear, which will take you to a webpage where you can enter your details.
If it does not work you may need to go to your settings and enable QR code scanning.
Why are QR codes being used?
The QR codes are being used for contact tracing, which allows businesses to keep track of everyone who has been through their doors.
If someone contracts coronavirus, they can then tell any establishment they have been into recently, and that establishment can contact others who were there around the same time.
These people can then take Covid-19 tests, and should self-isolate until they receive their results.
QR codes will become even more important when the NHS Test and Trace app is rolled out to the general public, as the app will be able to automatically alert anyone who has been near someone who gets the virus, for example in a restaurant.
How to get a unique QR code for your business
If you have a business and want to generate a QR code for customers to scan, here is what you need to do.
Before you start you will need your email address and the physical address of your business.
Enter that information here and you will be sent a poster with your unique QR code on it.
You can then print and display these posters for customers to scan.
