How to scan a QR code

Here’s the curious thing about QR codes: They experienced a spike in popularity a number of years ago as smartphone cameras grew more advanced — it seemed as though every poster and package had a square QR code for a while there — but then they started losing popularity. The rise of NFC and better mobile websites simply made physical scanning feel a little obsolete. Now, the squares are coming back in all-new ways, as codes for everything from Spotify music to social WeChat shopping commands to monetary donations. These new QR codes still work the same way: You find the square code, open up a scanning app, and let your phone scan the code to carry out the command.