Android 12 no longer changes QR code URLs

QR codes have become increasingly important, partly due to corona. Whether you want to order something on the terrace or even want to be able to sit there: there is a good chance that you will need a QR code somewhere in this process. There was a problem with that in Android 12, because Google Camera just changed the URLs under those QR codes. Fortunately that has now been fixed.

Google Camera

The problem arose when you used the Google Camera app to read a QR code, Germany’s Heise noted. The app did not simply show the URL that was under the QR code, but applied autocorrect to it. This way you will of course never reach the site that is hidden under the QR code. However, it now appears that the problem has been solved, so make sure you keep the Google Camera up to date.

The special thing was that the autocorrect also added dots to a url, for example. So imagine that you had androidworld.nl or androidworld.nl/apps, Google Camera would for example put a dot between android and world there, because these are basically two separate words. Then it became www.android.world.nl. This affected extensions like .nz, .uk, .za, and .au, as well as any words ending in com, co, ac, net, org, and gov, which are quite a few extensions.

QR codes within Android 12

In addition to adding dots, Google Camera also had a knack for making parts of URLs disappear completely. For example, an extension like .apple was created .app. Very annoying, especially since it went wrong in every browser on a phone running on Android 12. Fortunately, we are now free of it. It can lead to dangerous situations if you do not go to the original website. After all, if there is something that hackers like to use, it is imitating well-known sites and only adding an extra period in the url. Fortunately, this did not happen in most cases, but the risk was certainly there.

If at all possible, update Google Camera to version 8.4.400.423370569.19 to go back to the URL that the QR code also refers to.

Do you use Google Camera to scan QR codes, or is there another app that you use? Leave it now below this article.