Why scanning a QR code on a Mac is awkward
QR codes are made for phones, so when one shows up on your Mac the usual fix is to pick up your iPhone, point it at your own display and then send the result back to the Mac. It works, but it is slow, and it gives you no chance to look at a link before your phone opens it.
How to scan a QR code on screen
- Open the ShortClick ring and choose Tools → Scan QR on Screen, or press the shortcut you set for it.
- Drag around the code you want, or simply click it. Press Return to read every code that is visible.
- Copy the result, open the link, or send it to the right app.
Scan QR on Screen needs macOS 14 or later and the Screen Recording permission. The first time, enable PowerClick in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording. macOS applies that permission only after PowerClick restarts, so quit it from the menu bar and open it again once.
What happens with the result
PowerClick recognises what the code contains and offers the matching action:
- Links: open or copy them, after the safety check below
- Wi-Fi codes: copy the network name and the password
- Contacts: add them to Contacts
- Events: add them to Calendar
- Phone numbers, email, text messages, locations and plain text: copy them, or open them in the app that handles them
Codes that hold a two-factor secret get a clear warning not to share them, because anyone with that secret can generate your login codes.
A phishing check before you open any link
QR codes are a favourite way to hide a malicious link, because you cannot read the address before you scan. PowerClick checks every link it finds for common tricks before you open it:
- Look-alike domains that imitate a real site
- Hidden link shorteners that conceal where you are going
- Encoded characters (punycode) and mixed alphabets that imitate another address
- Bare IP addresses instead of a named site
- Links with a username and password embedded in them
The check runs entirely on your Mac with fixed rules. No link is sent to a server, and there is no blocklist to download. If a link looks deceptive, PowerClick tells you why, and you decide whether to open it anyway.
Read QR codes and barcodes from files in Finder
For a code that is already saved in an image or a PDF, there is no need to open the file. Right-click it in Finder, open the PowerClick submenu and choose Read QR & Barcodes. The same results and the same link check apply.
Create your own QR codes
PowerClick can also make codes: a link, a piece of text, or your Wi-Fi network so guests can join without typing the password. Open Create QR from the menu bar or the ShortClick ring and save the code as a PNG.
What Screen Recording is used for
When you start a scan, PowerClick captures a single frame of the display, reads the codes in it in memory and throws the frame away. Nothing is saved to disk and nothing is sent anywhere, and PowerClick does not record or watch your screen in the background. The app is sandboxed and has no network access at all. The full breakdown is on the privacy policy page.