COVID-19 safety plans have brought the humble QR Code out of hiding and back into the limelight.
QR Codes have been around since 1994, having been developed in Japan for the automotive industry. Developers at Denso Wave Incorporated created the QR Code in response to requests from consumers who wanted more information to be stored in a bar code. And that’s exactly what they got.
QR stands for Quick Response
A QR Code has information embedded in it that a QR Reader can detect.
This is a QR Code
Come back and visit this spot when you have downloaded the QR Reader App.
To stay COVID-19 safe, businesses, restaurants and cafes now offer a QR Code as a quick check-in system. You don’t need to touch a pen that others have used, you simply use your phone.
But First…
Download the QR Reader App
On your Smart Phone, download an App called a QR Reader.
If you are using an Apple iPhone, you will go through the App Store.
If you don’t have an Apple phone your phone is classed generically as an Android device, regardless of whether it’s a Samsung, Huawei, Ericsson, Opal, or any other brand.
To find a QR Reader on an Android phone, look for a symbol on your screen that looks like this:
This is the App Store for Android devices. It might also be called ‘Google Play Store’.
When you locate the App store for your device, search for an App called QR Reader.
Do not pay for a QR Reader App!
There are plenty that are free to instal and don’t have in-App purchases. You don’t need a fancy Reader; a basic QR Reader will work. The only annoying thing with free Apps is they sometimes come with advertisements that pop up while you are using it.
When you have installed the QR Reader App, familiarise yourself with its location on your screen. You might have to swipe across a few times to locate it (it might be on the last screen).
If you know how to move Apps to the Home Screen, it might be a good idea to put the QR Reader on the first screen you see when your phone starts up (the Home Screen).
Yeah, but how do I use a QR Reader?
When you go to a restaurant or cafe, you can use your QR Reader to sign in as per COVID-19 safety regulations.
Step 1.
Locate the QR Reader on your phone and open the App by tapping the icon.
When the App opens you should see a square frame on the screen.
Step 2.
Point the camera on your phone at the QR Code at the cafe or restaurant until you can see the QR Code in the frame. You don’t have to be too precise with this step because as soon as it gets near the code it will read it.
The next screen will look something like this but it will have a different web address to this one.
Step 3.
Click on ‘Open URL’.
Step 4.
Follow the instructions on the next screen.
This should be where you type your name and contact details.
If you have other people with you, you can usually add their names in as well. There should be ‘Add Another Person’ or something similar for you to put data in.
Summary:
You now know how to:
- download the QR Reader for your phone
- scan a QR Code
- Input the information to keep you COVID-19 safe.
And that’s it!
If you have any trouble with these instructions please let me know.
I’m happy to help anyone who needs a practical, hands-on demonstration.