How to pay with a SEPA QR code — step by step

Paying via a SEPA QR code is the fastest way to make a bank transfer without typing the IBAN and amount by hand. Instead of copying details from an invoice, you open your banking app, scan the code and confirm. The whole thing takes seconds. Here is how it works, step by step.

What a SEPA payment QR code is, in short

It is a QR code that holds the details of a SEPA bank transfer: beneficiary, IBAN, amount and payment reference, encoded per the European EPC069-12 standard (also known as "GiroCode"). When you scan it with your banking app, the transfer form fills in automatically. You will find the technical details in the guide on what GiroCode and the EPC standard are.

What you need

• Your bank's mobile banking app;
• A scan-to-pay feature available in that app;
• The payment QR code — on an invoice, a poster, a screen or a website.

The steps to pay

1. Open your banking app and log in as usual.
2. Find the scan-to-pay option — usually in the transfers or payments menu, with a QR code icon.
3. Scan the code with your phone camera, from within the app.
4. Check the pre-filled details: beneficiary, IBAN and amount. This is the most important step — always confirm the details are correct.
5. Confirm the transfer with your usual method (PIN, fingerprint, token). Done.

What the code contains

A valid code contains the beneficiary name and IBAN (required), and optionally the amount, the BIC/SWIFT code and a reference (for example the invoice number). If the amount is missing, you enter it when scanning — useful for donations or variable payments.

What if my bank does not support scanning?

Not every banking app has scan-to-pay yet. If yours does not, you can still use the code as a visual reference and enter the details manually, or use an EPC-compatible app. Support keeps growing across the SEPA area.

Want to create a payment code yourself?

If you are the one getting paid, you can generate your own code in seconds, free and without an account, with the SEPA payment QR code generator. Add the beneficiary, the IBAN and (optionally) the amount, and the code is ready to download and put on an invoice or website.