To my understanding, Signal requires that you have a physical phone to use the desktop version. Is there any way to scan the QR code without a physical device? I’m trying to make an anonymous Signal account.
My idea:
1.) Set up Android VM on Linux laptop
2.) Use laptop camera to scan the QR code on my desktop


Virtualbox would allow you to forward the webcam device to the webcam so you can use it as a regular camera on your virtual android. You then just need to figure out how to scan the qr code. If you search deeply enough, you will find ways to. Make android use an image or video as the camera source.
Also OBS studio with the virtual camera extension lets you use its output as a camera input in other programs so you can pass literally anything to the camera.