Make Downloading Windows Phone Apps Easier in Chrome

I find mobile device stores that you can access online to be very beneficial. On Play.Google.com you simply search for apps and have them download to your device. The Windows Phone store has a similar experience, but it’s not always a seamless process.

Rather than download and install them from my micro-SD card, it would be nice to find an easy way to snatch the apps I want. Now it’s possible with this easy to use Google Chrome extension.

Windows Phone QR Beta Extension

First install the Windows Phone QR Beta extension in your Google Chrome browser. Now any time you browse the Windows Phone Store for apps, a nice easy to scan QR code will be displayed so you can install apps more quickly.

On my Windows Phone I use the app called Scan – QR Code and Barcode Reader. It’s available in the Windows Phone Store for $1.99.

But if you don’t want to spend money or install another app, you can simply scan QR Codes with Bing. Hit the search button (magnifying glass) on your phone to launch Bing. Then tap the Vision icon. That allows you to scan QR codes, so in this instance, once Bing reads the code, you just tap the URL it found.

Personally, I find the Scan app to be more convenient, but Bing will work just fine if you don’t want to install another app.

Why Microsoft doesn’t include QR codes for apps by default in the app store, one can only guess. It’s in these situations where I find QR codes to be beneficial – you know, it techie scenarios. But having QR codes on Bananas … yeah not sure I get that one yet.