Skip to main content
QR Codes Explained

How do I use a QR code? How do I get a QR code for my LENS board? What does a QR code do?

Aya Dijkwel avatar
Written by Aya Dijkwel
Updated over a year ago

What is a QR Code?

A QR (short for "quick response") code is a type of barcode that holds information and can be scanned by a smartphone to simplify certain actions.

A QR code can be used to:

  • direct to a URL

  • load a PDF

  • display simple text

  • create a contact card

  • connect to WiFi networks

  • compose text messages

What a QR code does just depends on how it was set up or created.


How Do I Scan a QR Code?

  • Open your camera on your smartphone

  • Point your camera to the QR code

  • WITHOUT taking a photo, wait a few seconds for a pop up

  • Tap the pop up to activate the QR code's action

  • Continue following any on-screen instructions to complete task

Try practicing with this QR code:


How can I use QR Codes with LENS?

Create a LENS Contact Card with a QR Code

In LENS, we use QR codes as shortcuts to create contact cards. Above is an example of a QR Code you can have created for your LENS board. When a user scans the QR code, it creates a contact in their phone with the LENS board's phone number and email address. This makes it easier for users to text in issues and respond to surveys in LENS.

Create a LENS Survey Shortcut with a QR Code

We have the option of creating a QR code that composes a text message to the board's phone number with the survey's hashtag so all the user has to do is scan the code and send the message to trigger the survey over text.

  • create a survey

  • be sure to add a hashtag to the survey

  • create the QR code (addressed to the boards phone number with the #hashtag in the message content)

  • post the QR code as an update on the Today Page or somewhere your team can easily scan it

  • scan the code and send the message with the hashtag to trigger the start of the survey over text

Note: The anonymity of the response is up to the individual user's settings.


You can search “QR code generator” on your search engine. There are many free tools that can be found on the internet.

Did this answer your question?