The covid-19 pandemic has again prompted the development of QR codes. Now, many businesses, including especially those in the hospitality industry, use this system to deliver digitized letters to us. In this way physical contact is avoided. With the arrival of the latest version of EMUI, Huawei phones have integrated Huawei Assistant, which, among other actions, allows you to scan QR codes in a matter of seconds.
Classically you had to download third-party applications, with the risk that this entails. In addition, they are usually full of advertising. The phones of the Asian manufacturer that already have at least the version of its software layer, EMUI 10, already have Huawei Assistant, as a clear alternative to Google Discover. In this way, the user can see news, manage various sections of the phone and, as is the case, scan QR codes. In addition, in the same section of code scanning, we will find other known functions such as the instant text translator or smart purchases.
Remember that we are facing a kind of evolution of the barcode of a lifetime. The QR is a module that stores information in a dot matrix or in a two-dimensional barcode. The is read by our mobile by a specific reader (the camera app does not work) and immediately takes us to an application on the internet, which can be a location map, an email, a web page or a profile on a social network. Its creation dates from 1994, although its use has been enhanced in recent years.
How to activate the QR reader
The first thing we will have to do is slide the mobile to the right. Once done, we will only have to click on the icon that appears on the right and that is shaped like a camera, as you can see in the screenshot of this article. Then we just have to point the camera at the QR code. If this is the first time we use this method, we will be asked for permission so that the function can open links like the browser, where the results of the link will be displayed, whether it is a restaurant menu or an app download.
A few years ago this scanner was not integrated as standard in smartphones, so it was necessary to have a third-party application to be able to read this type of code. However, the smartphones of this brand have this possibility as standard within their AI Lens function, which became the replacement for HiVision as of the EMUI 9.1 version .
Therefore, if you need to access the QR code reader of your Huawei , keep in mind that you must have at least this version of EMUI or a higher one. To do this, you will have to enter the camera of your smartphone and click on the button that appears in the image, better known as AI Lens. Once we have clicked on it, a series of tools will be displayed, the first being the code reader as can be seen in the following image.
Use it on your mobile
One of the strengths of the Huawei camera thanks to AI Lens is that no further steps will be necessary. Only, for the main lens of our Huawei to read the code we will have to focus the camera and, later, it will automatically recognize it. Of course, keep in mind that your mobile device will mark a scan box where you must place it so that you can read it without any problem. Once you have read it, it will give us the result without having to press any more buttons.
In addition, we will not only find the way to access the native app of our smartphone’s camera to use this software. More than anything, because we will also find other ways to get access to the scanner that Huawei smartphones have integrated. Therefore, we can also access the reader in two more ways, and all thanks to the wizard that is integrated into the phones of the Asian manufacturer:
- From the search bar : slide your finger down on the panel of your mobile to see the search bar> tap on the AI Lens switch.
- From the lock screen : when your mobile is locked, slide your finger up from the bottom of the panel and click on AI Lens. Then, you will have to unlock the device to access it.
However, if you try to open your Personal Assistant by sliding the main screen of your mobile to the right and you cannot find it, you may not have it available yet if your mobile does not have, at least, the update to EMUI 11. If you do not know where you can check this little detail, you will have to go to Settings on your smartphone and click on System and Updates. Once you check which version you have, check if you can update your phone. After having this version at least, swipe the main screen of your mobile to the right to access the Assistant.
Can’t scan a QR?
Keep in mind that it is necessary to have the Internet connection active, so the scanner will not work if there are connectivity problems or we are in Airplane Mode. It is one of the fastest methods to be able to scan a QR, without receiving advertising from third-party applications or downloading some software that could damage our device.
You may be having trouble reading these types of codes with your smartphone. For this reason, if you have Internet enabled and you do not have airplane mode enabled, you must take the distance into account. Basically, because if you place the mobile too close or too far from the code, it will not be able to scan it correctly. So you should place it about 30 cm away from the QR code and bring it closer little by little. In addition, the cameras of some mobile phones focus worse than others at short distances.
And not only this, but when a QR code is scanned, the flash will not fire, so it is important that you do it in a place with good lighting. Therefore, make sure at all times that you have enough light to read the code. Also, if you tilt your Huawei, the code may not be able to scan well. For this, check that the phone is aligned with the surface on which the code is printed.
