diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ScanCodeView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ScanCodeView.swift
index f364b4ed0b..85226a2b8e 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ScanCodeView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ScanCodeView.swift
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ struct ScanCodeView: View {
     @Environment(\.dismiss) var dismiss: DismissAction
     @Binding var connectionVerified: Bool
     var verify: (String?) async -> (Bool, String)?
-    @State private var showCodeError = false
+    @State private var scanAlert: SomeAlert?
 
     var body: some View {
         VStack(alignment: .leading) {
@@ -25,9 +25,7 @@ struct ScanCodeView: View {
         }
         .padding()
         .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .top)
-        .alert(isPresented: $showCodeError) {
-            Alert(title: Text("Incorrect security code!"))
-        }
+        .alert(item: $scanAlert) { $0.alert }
         .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .top)
     }
 
@@ -40,8 +38,10 @@ struct ScanCodeView: View {
                         connectionVerified = ok
                         if ok {
                             dismiss()
+                        } else if let msg = wrongQRCodeMessage(r.string, detectSecurityCode: false) {
+                            scanAlert = SomeAlert(alert: wrongQRCodeAlert(msg), id: "wrongQRCode")
                         } else {
-                            showCodeError = true
+                            scanAlert = SomeAlert(alert: Alert(title: Text("Incorrect security code!")), id: "incorrectCode")
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Migration/MigrateToDevice.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Migration/MigrateToDevice.swift
index cb3832b727..be089685d6 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Migration/MigrateToDevice.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Migration/MigrateToDevice.swift
@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@ struct MigrateToDevice: View {
                             let link = r.string
                             if strHasSimplexFileLink(link.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces)) {
                                 migrationState = .linkDownloading(link: link.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces))
+                            } else if let msg = wrongQRCodeMessage(link) {
+                                alert = .error(title: "Wrong QR code", error: msg)
                             } else {
                                 alert = .error(title: "Invalid link", error: "The text you pasted is not a SimpleX link.")
                             }
@@ -234,6 +236,8 @@ struct MigrateToDevice: View {
             if let str = UIPasteboard.general.string {
                 if strHasSimplexFileLink(str.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces)) {
                     migrationState = .linkDownloading(link: str.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces))
+                } else if let msg = wrongQRCodeMessage(str) {
+                    alert = .error(title: "Wrong QR code", error: msg)
                 } else {
                     alert = .error(title: "Invalid link", error: "The text you pasted is not a SimpleX link.")
                 }
@@ -640,10 +644,6 @@ struct MigrateToDevice: View {
         dismiss()
     }
 
-    private func strHasSimplexFileLink(_ text: String) -> Bool {
-        text.starts(with: "simplex:/file") || text.starts(with: "https://simplex.chat/file")
-    }
-
     private static func urlForTemporaryDatabase() -> URL {
         URL(fileURLWithPath: generateNewFileName(getMigrationTempFilesDirectory().path + "/" + "migration", "db", fullPath: true))
     }
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift
index a87b9b46f4..65b6beacbf 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift
@@ -687,9 +687,14 @@ private struct ConnectView: View {
             let link = r.string
             if strIsSimplexLink(r.string) {
                 connect(link)
+            } else if let msg = wrongQRCodeMessage(link) {
+                alert = .newChatSomeAlert(alert: SomeAlert(
+                    alert: wrongQRCodeAlert(msg),
+                    id: "processQRCode: wrong QR code type"
+                ))
             } else {
                 alert = .newChatSomeAlert(alert: SomeAlert(
-                    alert: mkAlert(title: "Invalid QR code", message: "The code you scanned is not a SimpleX link QR code."),
+                    alert: wrongQRCodeAlert(notSimplexQRCodeMessage()),
                     id: "processQRCode: code is not a SimpleX link"
                 ))
             }
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/WrongQRCode.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/WrongQRCode.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..07baafbcc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/WrongQRCode.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+//
+//  WrongQRCode.swift
+//  SimpleX
+//
+//  iOS mirror of the Kotlin WrongQRCode.kt (apps/multiplatform/.../views/newchat/WrongQRCode.kt).
+//
+//  NOTE: written without an Xcode/macOS toolchain and NOT compiled here — build/verify on CI or a
+//  Mac. The "where to scan" wording should be reviewed against the real iOS navigation labels.
+//
+
+import Foundation
+import SwiftUI
+import SimpleXChat
+
+// The kinds of QR code the app knows how to scan, apart from a contact's security code (which has
+// no scheme and cannot be recognised by shape). Each scanner expects one of these; when a scanner's
+// own parser rejects a scan, identifyQRCode reports which of the others it turned out to be.
+private enum ScannedQRCode {
+    case connectionLink(SimplexLinkType)
+    case serverAddress
+    case migrationLink
+    case desktopAddress
+    case securityCode
+
+    // "This is a <kind>." — names what was actually scanned.
+    var typeDescription: String {
+        switch self {
+        case let .connectionLink(linkType):
+            return String.localizedStringWithFormat(NSLocalizedString("This is a %@.", comment: "wrong QR code alert"), linkType.description)
+        case .serverAddress: return NSLocalizedString("This is a SimpleX server address.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        case .migrationLink: return NSLocalizedString("This is a link to migrate to another device.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        case .desktopAddress: return NSLocalizedString("This is an address to connect to a desktop app.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        case .securityCode: return NSLocalizedString("This is a contact's security code.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        }
+    }
+
+    // "<Where to scan it>." — the screen that accepts this kind, or nil when there is no scanner for
+    // it (a relay address is a connection link but cannot be used to connect from New chat).
+    var whereToScan: String? {
+        switch self {
+        case let .connectionLink(linkType):
+            return linkType == .relay ? nil : NSLocalizedString("To use it, tap New chat, then scan or paste it there.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        case .serverAddress: return NSLocalizedString("To use it, open Network & servers, Your servers, then Scan server QR code.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        case .migrationLink: return NSLocalizedString("To use it, when setting up a new device, choose to migrate from another device.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        case .desktopAddress: return NSLocalizedString("To use it, open Use from desktop, then Scan QR code from desktop.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        case .securityCode: return NSLocalizedString("To use it, open the chat, tap the contact's name, then Verify security code.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// The QR-encoded form of a desktop session address always starts with this scheme
+// (single slash; see simplexmq RCSignedInvitation encoding).
+let desktopAddressScheme = "xrcp:/"
+
+func strHasSimplexFileLink(_ text: String) -> Bool {
+    text.starts(with: "simplex:/file") || text.starts(with: "https://simplex.chat/file")
+}
+
+// The "megaparser": try every known parser and return the first match, or nil when the scan is not
+// a SimpleX QR code at all. No new parsing logic — the same parsers each scanner already uses.
+private func identifyQRCode(_ text: String, detectSecurityCode: Bool) -> ScannedQRCode? {
+    let t = text.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
+    if let md = parseSimpleXMarkdown(t), md.count == 1,
+       case let .simplexLink(_, linkType, _, _) = md[0].format {
+        return .connectionLink(linkType)
+    }
+    if parseServerAddress(t) != nil { return .serverAddress }
+    if strHasSimplexFileLink(t) { return .migrationLink }
+    if t.hasPrefix(desktopAddressScheme) { return .desktopAddress }
+    if detectSecurityCode && isSecurityCode(t) { return .securityCode }
+    return nil
+}
+
+// A contact's security/verification code has no scheme; the QR encodes it verbatim. The core builds
+// it as `verificationCode = unwords . chunks 5 . show . os2ip` — the decimal digits of a hash in
+// space-separated groups of 5 (e.g. "61889 38426 ... 25"), ~77 digits. Recognise that exact shape:
+// 2+ whitespace-separated groups of ASCII digits, 32+ digits total. Requiring the grouping keeps a
+// bare long number from matching. Checked last, after every scheme-based parser.
+private func isSecurityCode(_ t: String) -> Bool {
+    // ASCII whitespace only, to match the Kotlin `\s+` split (Java \s does not include
+    // Unicode spaces like NBSP) — both platforms must classify identically.
+    let groups = t.split(whereSeparator: { $0.isWhitespace && $0.isASCII })
+    return groups.count >= 2
+        && groups.reduce(0) { $0 + $1.count } >= 32
+        && groups.allSatisfy { $0.allSatisfy { $0.isNumber && $0.isASCII } }
+}
+
+// For a scan the current screen rejected: "This is X.\n\nTo use it, scan it there." when it is
+// recognised as another known kind, or nil when it is not a SimpleX QR code at all (the caller
+// then shows its own "unknown" message). Each caller presents this through its OWN alert state so
+// the alert appears within the scanner's presentation (a global/root alert may not show over it).
+func wrongQRCodeMessage(_ text: String, detectSecurityCode: Bool = true) -> String? {
+    guard let qr = identifyQRCode(text, detectSecurityCode: detectSecurityCode) else { return nil }
+    return [qr.typeDescription, qr.whereToScan].compactMap { $0 }.joined(separator: "\n\n")
+}
+
+// The shared "not a SimpleX QR code" message for the unrecognised case, for scanners that have no
+// more specific wording of their own.
+func notSimplexQRCodeMessage() -> String {
+    NSLocalizedString("The code you scanned is not a SimpleX link QR code.", comment: "wrong QR code alert")
+}
+
+// The shared "Wrong QR code" alert. Callers present it through their own alert state so it appears
+// within the scanner's presentation (a global/root alert may not show over a modal scanner).
+func wrongQRCodeAlert(_ message: String) -> Alert {
+    Alert(title: Text("Wrong QR code"), message: Text(verbatim: message))
+}
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/RemoteAccess/ConnectDesktopView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/RemoteAccess/ConnectDesktopView.swift
index 24ae5cffca..97c1dda87a 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/RemoteAccess/ConnectDesktopView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/RemoteAccess/ConnectDesktopView.swift
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ struct ConnectDesktopView: View {
         case badInvitationError
         case badVersionError(version: String?)
         case desktopDisconnectedError
+        case wrongQRCode(message: String)
         case error(title: LocalizedStringKey, error: LocalizedStringKey?)
 
         var id: String {
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ struct ConnectDesktopView: View {
             case .badInvitationError: "badInvitationError"
             case let .badVersionError(v): "badVersionError \(v ?? "")"
             case .desktopDisconnectedError: "desktopDisconnectedError"
+            case .wrongQRCode: "wrongQRCode"
             case let .error(title, _): "error \(title)"
             }
         }
@@ -141,6 +143,8 @@ struct ConnectDesktopView: View {
                 )
             case .desktopDisconnectedError:
                 Alert(title: Text("Connection terminated"))
+            case let .wrongQRCode(message):
+                wrongQRCodeAlert(message)
             case let .error(title, error):
                 mkAlert(title: title, message: error)
             }
@@ -405,7 +409,12 @@ struct ConnectDesktopView: View {
 
     private func processDesktopQRCode(_ resp: Result<ScanResult, ScanError>) {
         switch resp {
-        case let .success(r): connectDesktopAddress(r.string)
+        case let .success(r):
+            if r.string.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines).hasPrefix(desktopAddressScheme) {
+                connectDesktopAddress(r.string)
+            } else {
+                alert = .wrongQRCode(message: wrongQRCodeMessage(r.string) ?? notSimplexQRCodeMessage())
+            }
         case let .failure(e): errorAlert(e)
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/NetworkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/NetworkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.swift
index b2b4a64f4e..6ff6994f48 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/NetworkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/NetworkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.swift
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ struct ScanProtocolServer: View {
     @Binding var userServers: [UserOperatorServers]
     @Binding var serverErrors: [UserServersError]
     @Binding var serverWarnings: [UserServersWarning]
+    @State private var scanAlert: SomeAlert?
 
     var body: some View {
         VStack(alignment: .leading) {
@@ -30,14 +31,22 @@ struct ScanProtocolServer: View {
         }
         .padding()
         .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .top)
+        .alert(item: $scanAlert) { $0.alert }
     }
 
     func processQRCode(_ resp: Result<ScanResult, ScanError>) {
         switch resp {
         case let .success(r):
-            var server: UserServer = .empty
-            server.server = r.string
-            addServer(server, $userServers, $serverErrors, $serverWarnings, dismiss)
+            if parseServerAddress(r.string) != nil {
+                var server: UserServer = .empty
+                server.server = r.string
+                addServer(server, $userServers, $serverErrors, $serverWarnings, dismiss)
+            } else {
+                scanAlert = SomeAlert(
+                    alert: wrongQRCodeAlert(wrongQRCodeMessage(r.string) ?? notSimplexQRCodeMessage()),
+                    id: "wrongQRCode"
+                )
+            }
         case let .failure(e):
             logger.error("ScanProtocolServer.processQRCode QR code error: \(e.localizedDescription)")
             dismiss()
diff --git a/apps/ios/SimpleX.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/apps/ios/SimpleX.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index fa4e21fbfc..85130e28df 100644
--- a/apps/ios/SimpleX.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/apps/ios/SimpleX.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@
 		5CFE0922282EEAF60002594B /* ZoomableScrollView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 5CFE0920282EEAF60002594B /* ZoomableScrollView.swift */; };
 		640417CD2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatMenuButton.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 640417CB2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatMenuButton.swift */; };
 		640417CE2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 640417CC2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatView.swift */; };
+		AA00000000000000000000A2 /* WrongQRCode.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = AA00000000000000000000A1 /* WrongQRCode.swift */; };
 		640743612CD360E600158442 /* ChooseServerOperators.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 640743602CD360E600158442 /* ChooseServerOperators.swift */; };
 		6407BA83295DA85D0082BA18 /* CIInvalidJSONView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 6407BA82295DA85D0082BA18 /* CIInvalidJSONView.swift */; };
 		6419EC582AB97507004A607A /* CIMemberCreatedContactView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 6419EC572AB97507004A607A /* CIMemberCreatedContactView.swift */; };
@@ -522,6 +523,7 @@
 		5CFE0920282EEAF60002594B /* ZoomableScrollView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = ZoomableScrollView.swift; path = Shared/Views/ZoomableScrollView.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
 		640417CB2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatMenuButton.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = NewChatMenuButton.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		640417CC2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = NewChatView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		AA00000000000000000000A1 /* WrongQRCode.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = WrongQRCode.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		640743602CD360E600158442 /* ChooseServerOperators.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = ChooseServerOperators.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		6407BA82295DA85D0082BA18 /* CIInvalidJSONView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = CIInvalidJSONView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		6419EC572AB97507004A607A /* CIMemberCreatedContactView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = CIMemberCreatedContactView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
@@ -988,6 +990,7 @@
 			children = (
 				640417CB2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatMenuButton.swift */,
 				640417CC2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatView.swift */,
+				AA00000000000000000000A1 /* WrongQRCode.swift */,
 				5CC1C99127A6C7F5000D9FF6 /* QRCode.swift */,
 				E5E418002F83D2CA00252B9E /* OnboardingCards.swift */,
 				6442E0B9287F169300CEC0F9 /* AddGroupView.swift */,
@@ -1519,6 +1522,7 @@
 				64C06EB52A0A4A7C00792D4D /* ChatItemInfoView.swift in Sources */,
 				8CC317442D4FEB9B00292A20 /* EndlessScrollView.swift in Sources */,
 				640417CE2B29B8C200CCB412 /* NewChatView.swift in Sources */,
+				AA00000000000000000000A2 /* WrongQRCode.swift in Sources */,
 				6440CA03288AECA70062C672 /* AddGroupMembersView.swift in Sources */,
 				640743612CD360E600158442 /* ChooseServerOperators.swift in Sources */,
 				E5A0B0012F960000AAAA0001 /* YourNetwork.swift in Sources */,
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chat/ScanCodeView.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chat/ScanCodeView.kt
index 428d4b1b8f..af0eeabc6e 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chat/ScanCodeView.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chat/ScanCodeView.kt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import chat.simplex.common.platform.ColumnWithScrollBar
 import chat.simplex.common.ui.theme.DEFAULT_PADDING
 import chat.simplex.common.views.helpers.*
 import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.QRCodeScanner
+import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.showWrongQRCodeAlert
 import chat.simplex.res.MR
 import dev.icerock.moko.resources.compose.stringResource
 
@@ -21,9 +22,9 @@ fun ScanCodeView(verifyCode: suspend (String?) -> Boolean, close: () -> Unit) {
       if (success) {
         close()
       } else {
-        AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(
-          title = generalGetString(MR.strings.incorrect_code)
-        )
+        showWrongQRCodeAlert(text, detectSecurityCode = false) {
+          AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(title = generalGetString(MR.strings.incorrect_code))
+        }
       }
       success
     }
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/migration/MigrateToDevice.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/migration/MigrateToDevice.kt
index f92a5e0ce4..cdaff3144c 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/migration/MigrateToDevice.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/migration/MigrateToDevice.kt
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import chat.simplex.common.views.database.*
 import chat.simplex.common.views.helpers.*
 import chat.simplex.common.views.helpers.DatabaseUtils.ksDatabasePassword
 import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.QRCodeScanner
+import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.showWrongQRCodeAlert
 import chat.simplex.common.views.onboarding.OnboardingStage
 import chat.simplex.common.views.usersettings.*
 import chat.simplex.common.views.usersettings.networkAndServers.OnionRelatedLayout
@@ -544,10 +545,12 @@ private suspend fun MutableState<MigrationToState?>.checkUserLink(link: String):
     }
     true
   } else {
-    AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(
-      title = generalGetString(MR.strings.invalid_file_link),
-      text = generalGetString(MR.strings.the_text_you_pasted_is_not_a_link)
-    )
+    showWrongQRCodeAlert(link) {
+      AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(
+        title = generalGetString(MR.strings.invalid_file_link),
+        text = generalGetString(MR.strings.the_text_you_pasted_is_not_a_link)
+      )
+    }
     false
   }
 }
@@ -727,7 +730,7 @@ private suspend fun MutableState<MigrationToState?>.cleanUpOnBack(chatReceiver:
   chatModel.migrationState.value = null
 }
 
-private fun strHasSimplexFileLink(text: String): Boolean =
+internal fun strHasSimplexFileLink(text: String): Boolean =
   text.startsWith("simplex:/file") || text.startsWith("https://simplex.chat/file")
 
 private fun fileForTemporaryDatabase(): File =
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatView.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatView.kt
index d3bca178aa..79460aa693 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatView.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatView.kt
@@ -654,14 +654,12 @@ private fun ConnectView(rhId: Long?, showQRCodeScanner: MutableState<Boolean>, p
 
     SectionView(stringResource(MR.strings.or_scan_qr_code), headerBottomPadding = 5.dp) {
       QRCodeScanner(showQRCodeScanner) { text ->
-        val linkVerified = verifyOnly(text)
-        if (!linkVerified) {
-          AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(
-            title = generalGetString(MR.strings.invalid_qr_code),
-            text = generalGetString(MR.strings.code_you_scanned_is_not_simplex_link_qr_code)
-          )
+        if (verifyOnly(text)) {
+          verifyAndConnect(rhId, text, close)
+        } else {
+          showWrongQRCodeAlert(text)
+          false
         }
-        verifyAndConnect(rhId, text, close)
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/WrongQRCode.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/WrongQRCode.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9b8f4a1b4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/WrongQRCode.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+package chat.simplex.common.views.newchat
+
+import chat.simplex.common.model.*
+import chat.simplex.common.model.ServerAddress.Companion.parseServerAddress
+import chat.simplex.common.views.helpers.*
+import chat.simplex.common.views.migration.strHasSimplexFileLink
+import chat.simplex.res.MR
+
+// The QR-encoded form of a desktop session address always starts with this scheme
+// (single slash; see simplexmq RCSignedInvitation encoding).
+const val DESKTOP_ADDRESS_SCHEME = "xrcp:/"
+
+// The kinds of QR code the app knows how to scan. Each scanner expects one of these; when a
+// scanner's own parser rejects a scan, identifyQRCode reports which of the others it turned out to
+// be. A security code has no scheme, so it is recognised by shape (see isSecurityCode) — every
+// scanner detects it except the security-code scanner itself (see detectSecurityCode).
+private sealed class ScannedQRCode {
+  data class ConnectionLink(val linkType: SimplexLinkType): ScannedQRCode()
+  object ServerAddress: ScannedQRCode()
+  object MigrationLink: ScannedQRCode()
+  object DesktopAddress: ScannedQRCode()
+  object SecurityCode: ScannedQRCode()
+
+  // "This is a <kind>." — names what was actually scanned.
+  val description: String get() = when (this) {
+    is ConnectionLink -> String.format(generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_is_connection_link), linkType.description)
+    ServerAddress -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_is_server_address)
+    MigrationLink -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_is_migration_link)
+    DesktopAddress -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_is_desktop_address)
+    SecurityCode -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_is_security_code)
+  }
+
+  // "<Where to scan it>." — the screen that accepts this kind, or null when there is no scanner for
+  // it (a relay address is a connection link but cannot be used to connect from New chat).
+  val whereToScan: String? get() = when (this) {
+    is ConnectionLink -> if (linkType == SimplexLinkType.relay) null else generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_where_connection_link)
+    ServerAddress -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_where_server_address)
+    MigrationLink -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_where_migration_link)
+    DesktopAddress -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_where_desktop_address)
+    SecurityCode -> generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_where_security_code)
+  }
+}
+
+// The "megaparser": try every known parser and return the first match, or null when the scan is not
+// a SimpleX QR code at all. The scanner that already rejected this text passes it here, so the kind
+// it expected either does not match (a link is not a server address) or was a false negative worth
+// reporting anyway. No new parsing logic — these are the same parsers each scanner already uses.
+private fun identifyQRCode(text: String, detectSecurityCode: Boolean): ScannedQRCode? {
+  val t = text.trim()
+  val md = parseToMarkdown(t)
+  val linkType = if (md?.size == 1) (md[0].format as? Format.SimplexLink)?.linkType else null
+  return when {
+    linkType != null -> ScannedQRCode.ConnectionLink(linkType)
+    parseServerAddress(t) != null -> ScannedQRCode.ServerAddress
+    strHasSimplexFileLink(t) -> ScannedQRCode.MigrationLink
+    t.startsWith(DESKTOP_ADDRESS_SCHEME) -> ScannedQRCode.DesktopAddress
+    detectSecurityCode && isSecurityCode(t) -> ScannedQRCode.SecurityCode
+    else -> null
+  }
+}
+
+// A contact's security/verification code has no scheme; the QR encodes it verbatim. The core builds
+// it as `verificationCode = unwords . chunks 5 . show . os2ip` — the decimal digits of a hash in
+// space-separated groups of 5 (e.g. "61889 38426 ... 25"), ~77 digits. Recognise that exact shape:
+// 2+ whitespace-separated groups of ASCII digits, 32+ digits total. Requiring the grouping keeps a
+// bare long number from matching. Checked last, after every scheme-based parser.
+private fun isSecurityCode(t: String): Boolean {
+  val groups = t.split(Regex("\\s+")).filter { it.isNotEmpty() }
+  return groups.size >= 2 &&
+    groups.sumOf { it.length } >= 32 &&
+    groups.all { g -> g.all { it in '0'..'9' } }
+}
+
+// Shown by every scanner when a scan is not the kind that screen expects: name what was actually
+// scanned and where to scan it. When it is not a recognisable SimpleX QR code, fall back to
+// [orElse] — a unified "not a SimpleX QR code" message by default, which the security-code scanner
+// overrides with its own "incorrect code" (there the scan is the right kind but the wrong value).
+fun showWrongQRCodeAlert(text: String, detectSecurityCode: Boolean = true, orElse: () -> Unit = ::showNotSimplexQRCodeAlert) {
+  val qr = identifyQRCode(text, detectSecurityCode)
+  if (qr == null) {
+    orElse()
+  } else {
+    AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(
+      title = generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_code),
+      text = listOfNotNull(qr.description, qr.whereToScan).joinToString("\n\n")
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+private fun showNotSimplexQRCodeAlert() {
+  AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(
+    title = generalGetString(MR.strings.wrong_qr_code),
+    text = generalGetString(MR.strings.code_you_scanned_is_not_simplex_link_qr_code)
+  )
+}
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/remote/ConnectDesktopView.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/remote/ConnectDesktopView.kt
index 86be99d1bf..32afa3295b 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/remote/ConnectDesktopView.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/remote/ConnectDesktopView.kt
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ import chat.simplex.common.platform.*
 import chat.simplex.common.ui.theme.*
 import chat.simplex.common.views.chat.item.ItemAction
 import chat.simplex.common.views.helpers.*
+import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.DESKTOP_ADDRESS_SCHEME
 import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.QRCodeScanner
+import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.showWrongQRCodeAlert
 import chat.simplex.common.views.usersettings.PreferenceToggle
 import chat.simplex.common.views.usersettings.SettingsActionItem
 import chat.simplex.res.MR
@@ -352,8 +354,13 @@ private fun DevicesView(deviceName: String, remoteCtrls: SnapshotStateList<Remot
 private fun ScanDesktopAddressView(sessionAddress: MutableState<String>) {
   SectionView(stringResource(MR.strings.scan_qr_code_from_desktop)) {
     QRCodeScanner { text ->
-      sessionAddress.value = text
-      connectDesktopAddress(sessionAddress, text)
+      if (text.trim().startsWith(DESKTOP_ADDRESS_SCHEME)) {
+        sessionAddress.value = text
+        connectDesktopAddress(sessionAddress, text)
+      } else {
+        showWrongQRCodeAlert(text)
+        false
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/networkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/networkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.kt
index d280773976..34bf8e8c11 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/networkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/networkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import chat.simplex.common.model.UserServer
 import chat.simplex.common.platform.ColumnWithScrollBar
 import chat.simplex.common.views.helpers.*
 import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.QRCodeScanner
+import chat.simplex.common.views.newchat.showWrongQRCodeAlert
 import chat.simplex.res.MR
 
 @Composable
@@ -21,10 +22,7 @@ fun ScanProtocolServerLayout(rhId: Long?, onNext: (UserServer) -> Unit) {
       if (res != null) {
         onNext(UserServer(remoteHostId = rhId, null, text, false, null, false, false))
       } else {
-        AlertManager.shared.showAlertMsg(
-          title = generalGetString(MR.strings.smp_servers_invalid_address),
-          text = generalGetString(MR.strings.smp_servers_check_address)
-        )
+        showWrongQRCodeAlert(text)
       }
       res != null
     }
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml
index 6befeecb3b..b26dd3d483 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml
@@ -783,6 +783,18 @@
   <string name="enable_camera_access">Enable camera access</string>
   <string name="tap_to_scan">Tap to scan</string>
   <string name="camera_not_available">Camera not available</string>
+  <!-- wrong QR code type scanned -->
+  <string name="wrong_qr_code">Wrong QR code</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_is_connection_link">This is a %s.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_is_server_address">This is a SimpleX server address.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_is_migration_link">This is a link to migrate to another device.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_is_desktop_address">This is an address to connect to a desktop app.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_is_security_code">This is a contact\'s security code.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_where_connection_link">To use it, tap New chat, then scan or paste it there.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_where_server_address">To use it, open Network &amp; servers, Your servers, then Scan server QR code.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_where_migration_link">To use it, when setting up a new device, choose to migrate from another device.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_where_desktop_address">To use it, open Use from desktop, then Scan QR code from desktop.</string>
+  <string name="wrong_qr_where_security_code">To use it, open the chat, tap the contact\'s name, then Verify security code.</string>
 
   <!-- GetImageView -->
   <string name="toast_permission_denied">Permission Denied!</string>
diff --git a/plans/2026-07-09-qr-recognise-wrong-type.md b/plans/2026-07-09-qr-recognise-wrong-type.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1c870f1427
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plans/2026-07-09-qr-recognise-wrong-type.md
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+# Recognise the wrong QR code type in every scanner
+
+Supersedes the earlier `plan-unify-qr-scanning.md` / `-impl.md` (PR #7044), which
+proposed replacing every screen's parser with a single universal `QRCodeType`
+classifier. That was more change than the goal needs. This plan is the minimal
+version: keep every scanner's parser and success path; only add a fallback when a
+scan is rejected.
+
+## Problem
+
+Each QR scanner accepts exactly one kind of code and silently rejects everything
+else with a generic "invalid" message:
+
+- New chat → connection link
+- Network & servers → SMP/XFTP server address
+- Migrate device → migration file link
+- Use from desktop → desktop address (`xrcp:/…`)
+- Verify security code → a contact's security code
+
+If you scan a valid code on the wrong screen (e.g. a contact link while verifying a
+security code) you get "Invalid …" with no hint that the code is fine, just scanned
+in the wrong place.
+
+## Approach
+
+When a scanner's own parser rejects a scan, run a small fallback that tries the
+*other* known parsers and reports what the code actually is. No parser is replaced;
+no scanner signature changes; the fallback lives in one shared file per platform.
+
+- `identifyQRCode(text)` — the "megaparser". Tries, in order, the parsers each
+  scanner already uses: connection link (markdown `SimplexLink`, whole-string),
+  server address (`parseServerAddress`), migration file link
+  (`strHasSimplexFileLink`), desktop address (`xrcp:/` prefix). Returns the first
+  match or "none". Because the calling scanner's own parser already failed, this
+  naturally reports "any option except the one expected".
+- On a match: alert **"Wrong QR code"** with `"This is a <kind>.\n\n<where to scan it>."`
+- On no match: **"Wrong QR code" / "The code you scanned is not a SimpleX link QR
+  code."**, except the security-code screen ("Incorrect security code!" — there the
+  code is the right kind but the wrong value) and migration ("Invalid link", shared
+  with its paste path).
+
+A contact's security code has no scheme, so it is matched by shape (`isSecurityCode`:
+2+ space-separated groups of digits, 32+ digits total — the `unwords . chunks 5 .
+show . os2ip` form). It is detected on every scanner **except** the security-code
+scanner itself, which passes `detectSecurityCode = false`: there a scan of the right
+shape but wrong value must stay "Incorrect security code!", not "scan it there".
+
+## Files
+
+Kotlin (Android + desktop), shared `commonMain`:
+- `views/newchat/WrongQRCode.kt` (new) — `ScannedQRCode`, `identifyQRCode`,
+  `showWrongQRCodeAlert(text, orElse)`, `DESKTOP_ADDRESS_SCHEME`.
+- `views/newchat/NewChatView.kt`, `chat/ScanCodeView.kt`,
+  `migration/MigrateToDevice.kt` (makes `strHasSimplexFileLink` `internal`),
+  `remote/ConnectDesktopView.kt`, `usersettings/networkAndServers/ScanProtocolServer.kt`
+  — failure branch calls `showWrongQRCodeAlert`; desktop gains a `xrcp:/` pre-check.
+- `resources/MR/base/strings.xml` — 11 new strings; none removed.
+
+iOS mirror (same structure):
+- `Views/NewChat/WrongQRCode.swift` (new) — `identifyQRCode`, `wrongQRCodeMessage`,
+  `notSimplexQRCodeMessage`, `wrongQRCodeAlert`, `desktopAddressScheme`,
+  `strHasSimplexFileLink` (moved out of `MigrateToDevice.swift`).
+- The five scanner views present the wrong-type alert through **their own** alert
+  state (`SomeAlert` / view alert enum), not a global manager, so it shows within
+  the scanner's own presentation. Server and desktop gain a local pre-check
+  (`parseServerAddress` / `xrcp:` prefix) so they too report the wrong type.
+  `project.pbxproj` registers the new file.
+
+## Parser ordering (correctness)
+
+Markdown is checked first, then server / migration / desktop. Verified safe against
+`src/Simplex/Chat/Markdown.hs`: a `SimplexLink` is only produced for connection-request
+URIs (`http/https/simplex:` that parse as `AConnectionLink`); file links have no
+markdown handling, and `xrcp:`/`smp:` are not treated as URIs. So migration, desktop
+and server codes never match the markdown branch — order does not misclassify.
+
+## Edge cases
+
+- Relay links classify as a connection link; the "where to scan" line is omitted
+  (a relay address can't be used to connect from New chat), so the alert shows only
+  "This is a SimpleX relay address."
+- A SimpleX *name* is not a `SimplexLink`, so it stays "unknown" on the connection
+  scanner — same as before (names only ever worked via paste).
+- Android: the failure branch returns `false` (unchanged), so the scanner keeps
+  scanning with the existing 1s debounce; iOS scanners are `.oncePerCode`.
+
+## Verification
+
+- Kotlin: `./gradlew :common:compileKotlinDesktop` — builds clean.
+- iOS: **not compiled** in this environment (no Xcode toolchain) — needs a Mac/CI
+  build. "Where to scan" wording should be checked against the live iOS navigation.
+
+## Not done / out of scope
+
+- No "Connect" action on the alert — informational only.