My QR code will not scan
Check these in order. Most failed codes are one of the first four.
The checklist
- Contrast. The squares must be much darker than the background. If you changed the colors, set them back to dark on white and try again. See Change the colors of a QR code.
- Inverted colors. Light squares on a dark background are unreadable to many scanners. Keep the squares dark.
- A margin. The downloaded code has no border. Leave clear space around it, about four small squares wide, with nothing touching it.
- Size. Printed codes should be at least about 2 cm (under an inch) wide, and bigger for anything scanned from further away.
- Too much data. A long link or a lot of text makes a dense code with tiny squares. Use a shorter link, or print the code larger.
- Print quality. A blurry photocopy or a screenshot saved at low resolution loses detail. Use the SVG, or the PNG at its full size.
- Surface and light. Glare on glossy paper or a curved surface can stop a scan. Try matte paper and even light.
- The content itself. Scan it and read what comes up. A typo in the link or a missing
https://is a common cause.
Test it properly
Use the camera app on a phone, hold it steady about 15 to 30 cm away, and try a second phone. If it scans on a screen but not on paper, the print is the problem.