There are several potential reasons why you’re unable to scan QR codes after updating to iOS 18, e.g., OS bugs, app-specific issues, and incorrect camera settings. Fortunately, there are a few simple fixes you can try, like force restarting your iPhone, adjusting app permissions, and updating your software. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Possible Reasons Behind Not Being Able To Scan QR Codes
While there could be plenty of reasons why QR codes aren’t being scanned on your iPhone, some popular ones include:
- Bugs in iOS 18: The new iOS version has been a buggy mess, and many users have reported issues with QR scanning since updating. So, it’s likely that a software glitch is interfering with the camera or app permissions.
- App-Specific Issues: Payment apps are notorious for not functioning properly on outdated software versions. However, sometimes they don’t work with the latest versions either, simply because the developers haven’t updated their apps yet.
- Permissions Errors: In some cases, camera access permissions may have been reset during the update, thus causing the error.
How To Fix the QR Code Scanner Issue in iOS 18?
1. Restart the App & iPhone
When an app misbehaves, the first thing you should do is a reboot. It’ll clear the RAM and help resolve temporary glitches that might be causing the problem. To do this, swipe up from the bottom of the Home Screen to open the App Switcher. Then, swipe up on the desired app.
Time needed: 3 minutes
If that doesn’t help, try force restarting your iPhone, which is the best solution to any problem. Here’s how:
- Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
- Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
- Hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears.
2. Update the UPI App
If you’ve recently updated iOS, it’s possible that your UPI app hasn’t received an update to be compatible with that version. In that case, you should check for app updates.
- Open the App Store.
- Tap your profile icon.
- Scroll down to view pending updates.
- Tap Update next to your UPI app, or select Update All.
3. Update iOS Version
An underlying cause of the UPI app glitch may also be iOS update bugs. To address this issue, Apple may release fixes in minor updates.
- Go to Settings, and then scroll down and click General.
- Now, click Software Update.
- If an update is available, then tap Download and Install.
4. Reset QR Code Permissions
Apple takes security pretty seriously, and it’s possible that the new iOS version revoked camera permissions for the UPI apps, causing them to stop scanning. Here’s how you can re-enable these permissions.
- Go to Settings and scroll down to the Apps section.
- Locate the desired app and ensure that Camera access is enabled.
5. Reset All Settings
If none of the above solutions worked, we recommend performing a full reset of your phone’s settings. This generally resolves all issues related to app compatibility. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings and open General.
- Scroll down and click Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset, then select Reset All Settings.
That’s it. I hope one of these methods helped you scan QR codes on your iPhone again. However, if nothing worked, I recommend contacting Apple Support and explaining the issue.