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How to test a QR code

To test a QR code, scan it with two or three different phones and check each one opens exactly what you meant. Then print one copy at its real size and scan that too, from the distance people will use. A code that works on your screen can still fail on paper.

QR code generatorUpdated 4 min read

The code below opens example.com, an address reserved for examples, so you can check your phone's scanner right now.

What to scan with

Use the cameras people actually use. On iPhone that's the Camera app or the Scan Code control in Control Center. On Android it's the camera app or Google Lens. Try at least one older or cheaper phone if you can: their cameras struggle first.

Don't rely on a single scanner app. Some apps are more forgiving than the built-in cameras, so a code that only scans in one app will fail for many people.

The checklist

1. The content is right.

  • Read the address your phone shows before you tap it. Check spelling, https:// and the exact page, not just the home page.
  • Open it. Does the page load on mobile data, not just your office Wi-Fi? Is it a page that works on a phone?
  • For Wi-Fi codes, forget the network on a test phone and join it from the code. A wrong password or security type only shows up here.
  • For email, phone and SMS codes, check the address, number and message that appear.

2. It scans on paper.

  • Print one copy at its final size, on the same printer and paper if you can.
  • Scan from the real distance: arm's length for a flyer, across the room for a poster.
  • Try normal light, dim light and at an angle. Glossy paper and lamination can cause glare.

3. The design holds up.

  • Contrast: dark modules on a light background. Pale colours and light-on-dark codes are the most common failures.
  • White space: keep a clear margin round the code. The QR specification asks for four modules on every side. Our downloads include a narrower border, so leave extra white space round the code in your layout.
  • Logo: a logo needs the highest error correction level (H, about 30% of codewords restorable). Keep it small and away from the three corner squares.
  • Size: see minimum QR code size for starting points.

4. Nothing changes later.

If the code points to a web page, make sure that page will stay where it is. A static code can't be edited after printing, so a moved page means a reprint. See do QR codes expire?.

How to test a QR code without a phone

You can check what a code says without a phone:

  • Open the image in Google Lens in a desktop browser and it reads the code.
  • A scanner app that uses your laptop's webcam can read a printed code held up to it.
  • A tablet's camera works the same way as a phone's.

None of these tell you whether the code works in print, at its size, under real light. Borrow a phone for that part before you order a print run.

Common problems and fixes

  • Opens the wrong page: a typo or an old link. Fix the content and download a new code. Old prints will keep opening the old address.
  • Scans on screen, not on paper: printed too small, blurred by a low-resolution file, or the paper is glossy. Print bigger, use the SVG, or try matt paper.
  • Some phones fail: usually contrast or an inverted code. Go back to dark on white.
  • Only scans close up: too much content for the size. Shorten the link or print larger.
  • Logo breaks it: make the logo smaller, or remove it.

Make and test a code here

Type your link or details below. The code updates as you type, so you can scan the preview straight from your screen, then download a PNG for documents or an SVG for print and test the printed copy.

QR code generator

Open the full tool

Related guides

Sources

Questions

Is there a way to test a QR code?

Yes: scan it with two or three different phones, from the distance people will use, and check that each one opens exactly what you expect. Test the printed copy, not just the file on screen.

Can I test QR codes online?

You can check the content online by opening the image in a decoder or Google Lens on a computer. But only a real phone and a real print tell you whether it scans at its size, on its paper, in its light.

How do I test a QR code without a phone?

Open the image in Google Lens in a desktop browser, or use a webcam-based scanner. That confirms what the code says. It can't tell you how the printed code behaves, so borrow a phone before a big print run.

Can you show me a QR code I can test?

The code on this page opens example.com, a web address reserved for examples. Point your phone's camera at it to check your scanner works.