QR codes were given a big vote of confidence last year when Apple integrated a QR scanner into its native Camera app. The new QR-scanning capability was among many minor iOS 11 features released last year. Even though QR codes themselves have been around for almost two decades, they haven’t been very effective or even useful to consumers. It required downloading a third-party QR scanner app, a step most consumers weren't that

That has now changed, thanks to Apple.

How to scan QR codes with your iPhone Camera

All you have to do to scan a QR code is follow these steps:

1 – Open the iPhone’s Camera app. 2 – Point your camera at a QR code. 3 – Tap to focus. 4 – Viola! A notification box should pop up allowing you to act on the QR code.

The new QR-scanning feature could be useful in all sorts of scenarios, like joining the Wi-Fi network at a coffee shop, finding directions to a restaurant, adding calendar events, sharing URLs and much more.