Free tool
QR code checker
See what a code holds, where it really goes and whether it's safe, before you print it or scan it.
The image is read on your device and never uploaded. If the code holds a link, we visit it once to see where it goes.
What you'll find out
- • What the code holds: a link, Wi-Fi, a contact…
- • Where the link really ends up, step by step
- • Whether it's flagged as unsafe
- • Whether it depends on a QR service that can switch it off
When to check a code
Before you print. A code that opens the wrong page, or a trial link that will stop in a week, is much cheaper to catch now than after a thousand flyers.
When a printed code stops working.The checker tells you whether the page is gone, the code was switched off by the service that made it, or the code itself won't read. Our guide to QR codes that stop working goes through each fix.
Before you pay. On a parking meter, a poster or an email, check the code goes where it claims to before you type a card number.
Common questions
Is the photo uploaded?+
No. The code is read on your own device. If it holds a link, only that link is sent to us, and we visit it once to see where it leads. We don't keep the image or the result.
How do I know if a QR code is safe?+
Look at where it really goes before you enter anything. The checker follows every redirect, shows the final page and asks Google Safe Browsing about each step. Be extra careful with codes on parking meters and payment signs: a sticker placed over the real code is a common scam.
Why does it say my code depends on a QR service?+
Dynamic codes hold a short link on the service that made them, which forwards to your page. That's what lets you edit them, but it also means the code works only while that account is active. If a trial ends or a subscription lapses, scanners see a notice page instead.
It can't read my code. What now?+
Try a sharper, straight-on photo with the whole code and its white margin in the frame. If phones struggle with the printed code too, it's usually the size, the contrast or a missing margin.