Scan — Support

Last updated: 2 May 2026 · Applies to: Scan — the iOS app published by nettrash on the App Store. The same binary runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac (via Mac Catalyst), and Apple Vision Pro (via Designed for iPad).

Scan is a barcode and QR-code scanner for iOS. This page is the single place to reach the developer for issues, general feedback, or feature requests, and to find answers to common questions before you do.

Contact

Scan is built and maintained by an independent developer. The fastest way to get a reply is by email; please include your iOS version and the app version (Settings tab → bottom of screen).

For privacy-specific questions, see the Privacy Policy; the same email address handles those requests.

What Scan does

• Scans 1D barcodes (EAN-8/13, UPC-A/E, Code 39, Code 128, ITF, PDF417, etc.) and 2D codes (QR, Aztec, Data Matrix) using the device camera.
• Decodes structured QR payloads — URLs, Wi-Fi join codes (incl. WPA3 + Passpoint), vCard / MECARD contacts, iCalendar events, geo: locations, SEPA / EPC / Swiss / Indian UPI / Serbian IPS payment QRs, EMVCo merchant codes, crypto wallets including USDC / USDT stablecoins, EUDI / DigiD identity flows, GS1 product / IATA boarding pass / AAMVA driver licence formats, and plain text.
• Imports still images from the Photo Picker and image / PDF files from the Files app, decoding their contents through the same on-device pipeline.
• Receives images and PDFs from the system Share Sheet via Scan's app extension, presenting decoded codes inline without leaving the source app.
• Generates codes (QR, Aztec, PDF417, Code 128) from text or structured input, with custom colours / logos, error-correction control, and SVG / PDF export. Save to Photos, copy, or share through the system sheet.
• Keeps a local scan history, mirrored to your private iCloud database when iCloud is enabled for Scan, so the same history follows you across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro.

Frequently asked questions

The camera shows a black preview or doesn't open

Scan needs Camera permission. Open Settings → Scan → Camera and make sure access is allowed. If it's already on, force-quit Scan (swipe up on the app card in the App Switcher) and reopen it. On older devices, another app holding the camera (a video call, for example) will block Scan until you close it.

"Add to Contacts" / "Add to Calendar" doesn't do anything

Those actions present the system New Contact or New Event sheet. You must tap Done on that sheet for the entry to be saved — Scan never writes to your address book or calendar by itself. If the sheet doesn't appear, check Settings → Scan → Contacts or Settings → Scan → Calendars.

I can't save a generated code to Photos

Scan asks for Add Photos Only access. Verify it under Settings → Scan → Photos. Scan does not need — and does not request — read access to your existing photos.

My scan history isn't appearing on my other device

History sync runs over your private iCloud (CloudKit). Confirm on each device that:

• You are signed in to the same Apple Account.
• Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → Apps Using iCloud → Scan is enabled.
• iCloud Drive is on and the device has a network connection.

New entries can take a minute or two to propagate. If a device has been offline, give iCloud time to reconcile after it reconnects.

How do I delete my scan history?

Swipe a single entry in the History tab to delete it, or use "Clear History" to remove everything. Deletions propagate to the iCloud mirror automatically. To remove all app data including the iCloud copy, delete Scan from your device and, if desired, remove its data under Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → Manage Account Storage → Scan.

Does Scan collect any data about me?

No. Scan ships with no analytics, no third-party SDKs, and no servers operated by us. Full details are in the Privacy Policy.

I'm on a Mac — does Scan work, and how do I scan?

Yes. The Mac build runs via Mac Catalyst on macOS 14 Sonoma or later and uses the Mac's built-in webcam or any connected Continuity Camera (your iPhone within Bluetooth range) as the video source. The first time you open the Scan tab, macOS will prompt for camera permission; if you missed the prompt, enable it later under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera → Scan. The Generate, History, and Settings tabs work identically to iPhone / iPad.

I'm on Vision Pro — there's no live camera. Is that a bug?

By design. Apple does not let third-party apps access Vision Pro's world cameras, so there is no live-scanning path on visionOS. The Scan tab opens directly to a "Choose from Photos / Choose from Files" surface — pick a screenshot, photo, or PDF you have saved, and Scan decodes it on-device the same way as on iPhone. The Generate tab is fully functional (handy for showing a Wi-Fi QR to a guest's phone), and your iCloud-synced History from your other devices follows you here.

I shared an image or PDF to Scan and the result sheet is empty

Scan looks for printed barcode / QR formats inside the image or PDF you shared. If the sheet says "No barcodes were found in that image", the file genuinely doesn't contain a code Scan can recognise — the picture may be too blurry, the code may be cropped at the edge, or it may be a logo / decorative graphic and not an actual barcode. Try a sharper photo, or use the live scanner on the original printed code if you have access to it.

A scanned URL or payment link looks suspicious. What should I do?

Scan only decodes what's printed in the code — it does not verify legitimacy. Treat scanned URLs the same as links from unknown senders: check the domain before tapping. For payment QRs, never authorize a transaction whose amount or recipient you didn't expect.

Reporting a bug

When emailing about a bug, the following details speed things up:

• iOS version (Settings → General → About → iOS Version).
• Device model.
• Scan version (visible in the Settings tab).
• What you did, what you expected, and what happened instead.
• If reproducible, a screenshot or short screen recording.

Public bug reports and feature discussion are welcome at the GitHub issue tracker linked above.

Feature requests

Suggestions are read and appreciated. Send them by email or open a GitHub issue tagged enhancement. Not every request will be implemented, but every one is considered.

Software Bill of Materials

Scan is built on Apple's first-party frameworks (SwiftUI, UIKit, AVFoundation, Vision, CoreImage, PDFKit, CoreData with NSPersistentCloudKitContainer, PhotosUI, Contacts, EventKit, UniformTypeIdentifiers) and ships with no third-party SDKs. The full source tree, including any updates to this list, is published at github.com/nettrash/Scan.