Why is my QR code not scanning?

Check the code first

1. Dark dots on a light background

Phones look for dark squares on a light background. Light dots on a dark background (an “inverted” code) do not scan on many phones. Swap the colours so the dots are darker.

2. Enough contrast

Pale grey on white, or dark blue on black, is too close. Make the dots much darker than the background. See Can a QR code be any color?

3. A white border all around

A QR code needs an empty margin around it. This is called the quiet zone. It should be about four dots wide. If text, lines or a photo touch the code, phones may not find its edges.

4. Big enough for the distance

A tiny code on a big poster is hard to read from far away. A simple rule: the code should be at least one tenth of the scan distance. Read What size should a QR code be?

5. Sharp, not blurry

Blurry or stretched images confuse phones. Download a large file. For print, use SVG if you can. Never stretch a code wider than it is tall.

6. Not too busy

Long links make more, smaller dots. That makes the code harder to scan. Use a shorter link if you can.

7. A logo that is not too big

A logo covers part of the code. The code can repair a little damage, but not a lot. Keep the logo small and test again.

Check the place it is shown

• Glare. Shiny paper, glass and plastic covers reflect light. Tilt the phone or move the light.
• Curved or folded surfaces. Codes on bottles or creased paper bend out of shape. Flatten them if you can.
• Screens. Turn up the screen brightness. Dark mode can sometimes flip colours on a web page.

Check the phone

• Wipe the camera lens.
• Hold the phone steady, 15 to 30 cm away, then move closer or farther.
• Make sure there is enough light.
• On iPhone, try the Code Scanner in Control Center. On Android, try Google Lens. See How to scan a QR code.

It scans, but nothing happens

If the phone reads the code but the page does not open, the problem is the link, not the code.

• Open the link on a computer. Is the page still there?
• Check for typing mistakes.
• If the link starts with a QR company’s address, the service may have switched it off. See Do QR codes expire?

The code does not show in an email

Many email apps block images until the reader allows them. So a QR code inside the email may be hidden. Attach the code as a PNG file as well, or add the plain link under it.

How QRVivid helps

QRVivid scans every code in your browser before you download it. If it may not scan, you see a warning and a tip. If you pick light dots on a dark background, we warn you about that too.