Quick start
Make your first scan in under a minute: aim the viewfinder, tap, and watch the value land in a list.
This page walks you through your very first scan: how to size the target box in the viewfinder, what happens when you tap the main button, and how the recognized value collects in your list. By the end you’ll have a value captured and know the basic loop you’ll repeat every time you use QCR Scanner.
Note: QCR Scanner is for Android today (Android 7.0 / API 24 or newer). Make sure the app is installed and open first — see Installation for access through the closed test invite. On first launch the app asks for camera permission so it can start scanning.
Take your first scan
The core gesture is simple: place the target in the viewfinder and tap.
- Open the app; you’ll see the camera viewfinder with a target rectangle (rect) in the middle.
- Hold the phone so the text or QR code you want to read sits inside the target rectangle.
- Use the viewfinder size sliders to adjust the rectangle’s width and height so it covers only the value you want to read, and nothing extra.
- Tap the main scan button at the bottom of the screen.
The moment you tap, OCR (text recognition) and QR scanning run in parallel over the target region. If a QR code is found it takes priority; otherwise the recognized text is taken as the value. A valid result is added to your active list instantly.
Tip: Accuracy goes up as you tighten the target rectangle. When reading a serial number or a single group of digits, shrink the box so it wraps just that value and leaves surrounding text outside.
All recognition runs on your device, locally, with Google ML Kit. OCR and QR use no network — they work without an internet connection.
Two capture modes: snappy and quality
QCR Scanner offers two capture modes. Toggle between them with a single tap on the lightning (⚡) / HD button on the left side, and your preference is stored on the device.
| Mode | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Snappy (on by default) | Grabs the latest frame from the live 1080p camera stream and runs OCR + QR in memory. No shutter, no JPEG encoding, no disk round trip — instant result. | Everyday fast scans, large/clear text, QR codes. |
| Quality | Full-resolution capture + on-device native decoding. | Highest accuracy for small, dense, or faint text — serial numbers, fine digits. |
Snappy mode is enough for most jobs and is very fast. If a value keeps being misread, switch to quality mode and try again. For the full picture, see Scanning.
Seeing before you tap: live preview
Even before you press the button, a live OCR runs a few times per second off the camera stream. A value that passes validation is shown instantly in green above the viewfinder. This live preview lets you confirm you’ve framed the right value without tapping at all. Read how it works in Live preview.
You can refine the shot with the controls beside the viewfinder: torch, focus lock, a zoom bar, and tap-to-focus.
Hands busy: voice input and QR
Scanning isn’t only about the camera:
- Voice input lets you add values by speaking — in push-to-talk, continuous-listening, or read-back verification modes. It’s handy when your hands are full. See Voice input for details.
- QR codes are a natural part of the scan flow: if a QR is in the target, it takes priority over text and is added directly as a value.
Values collect in a list
Every valid value you add lands in your active list. QCR Scanner keeps your data in an on-device SQLite database across multiple lists: you can create, rename, and delete lists, and choose which one is active. With list-trigger rules, the active list can switch automatically when a scanned value matches a given pattern. To manage lists, see Lists.
There are two ways to get your collected values out of the app:
- CSV export — export a list as a CSV file and share it. See CSV export.
- Webhook sync — send each value one by one (auto-sync) or in a batch (“Send all”) to an endpoint. When there’s no connection, values are queued in an offline outbox and sent automatically once you’re back online. See Webhook sync.
Recap: the basic loop
The whole flow, start to finish:
- Size the target rectangle in the viewfinder around the value you want to read.
- Aim the phone at the target; use torch, focus, and zoom if you need them.
- Tap the main button — OCR and QR run in parallel, and a valid result is added to the list.
- Values collect in your active list; from there, export to CSV or sync over a webhook.
After a few scans this loop becomes reflex. To push accuracy further, explore tools like validation rules, automatic extraction from noisy text, and separators on the pages below.
QCR Scanner is made by ReviseTouch.
Next steps
- Scanning — capture modes, camera controls, and the target rectangle in detail.
- Live preview — the green digit preview before you tap.
- Validation rules — accept only the values you want.
- Lists — collect and manage values across multiple lists.