Last month, WhatsApp launched the ability to add contacts using a QR code, and we questioned its safety. Now, Facebook’s other social platform, Instagram, is rolling out the same capability.

But this isn’t really anything new for the platform. Remember 2018? Yeah, we know it feels like aeons ago, but that’s when Instagram launched something called ‘Nametags‘ which generated unique codes using your Instagram handle, which people could easily scan it to follow you. This is pretty much the same thing.

This time around, however, the QR codes can be scanned from any camera app that has the ability to read QR codes, not just from the Instagram app. This includes the base QR code scanner found in iPhones and in Pixels.

Nametags, on the other hand, could only be scanned through Instagram by going through one helluva mission and several settings. This QR feature mostly removes the hassle of going through several taps while you could actually just type in the person’s tag manually. Like we used to do in the heyday of 2015.

This is ideal for businesses though, that can easily print the QR code out and distribute it with flyers or business cards — this way potential customers and followers don’t need your Instagram handle per se, but can easily find your account.

Create your own

Making your own Instagram QR code is fairly straightforward. All you have to do is direct yourself to your profile, tap the three-lined menu and select ‘QR Code.’ It might still say ‘Nametag’ instead, but the switch should happen any time now.

If you’re on the other end of the process, scanning an Insta-QR is easy enough. Simply open a camera app that supports QR scanning, and point it towards the QR code. Your Instagram app will automatically direct to the correlating account. See? Easy.

Source: The Verge