Confronted with a QR Code on a Windows desktop and a desire to get that text without using a phone camera, what do you do?

QR Codes Can Be Handy. Or Not.

"Scan this QR Code with your device." Obviously the developer thinks I want the code's information on my phone. But I don't. I want it on the same computer that is currently displaying it. A Windows desktop. And I want it in a form where I can decide how to use it. AND I don't want it leaving this computer.

I have learned Microsoft now has a desktop app for managing QR codes, and I suppose it is fine. The problem is, I don't trust Microsoft. I know, shock and horror!

I dug around a bit on the Internet and found a bunch of QR code apps, but not one of what I saw did what I wanted: just give me text from a code, or give me a QR from text. So I wrote this one. Link to qr4wd repo on Github

qr4wd.exe is a Python utility that does one thing I want. It does it with no dialog, no buttons, no console, no feedback at all. Perfect!

I use Windows' Snipping tool to snip a QR into the clipboard. Then I click qr4wd's icon on my taskbar. Then I paste the text where I want it.

Done.

I can also copy a string of text to the clipboard, click the qr4wd icon, then paste the resulting QR code where I want it.

Either way, this solution fits my need exactly.

Is it the best for every scenario? Maybe not.
Guaranteed to work on any Windows system? No.
Does it share my data with others? Nope.
Is it free open source? Yes indeed.
Does it meet my need in Win11? Yup.

So I share this with you.

'qr4wd.exe' is a Thing That Works.