A code won't scan
Why a QR code isn't scanning, and how to fix each cause.
If a phone camera doesn't react to your code, or reads it only sometimes, work through these checks.
Start with the Scan score under the preview in the playground. Click it to see which checks fail. See Check a design with the scan score.
For a code that's already printed, take a photo and drop it into the scan checker. It shows what the code says and tests how well it reads.
Common causes
Low contrast or light on dark
Scanners look for dark squares on a light background. Make the code darker or the background lighter, and avoid light codes on dark backgrounds. See Choose colors that scan.
A logo covers too much
Set Error correction to High in the Design tab. See Add a logo.
Unusual eye shapes
Circle and curly corner eyes fail in some scanner apps. Square, rounded and gear eyes read everywhere.
No clear border
Scanners need empty space around the code. Set Padding to Standard or Large, and don't let other artwork touch the code.
Printed too small
Make the code about one tenth of the scanning distance: 2 cm for a card read at 20 cm, 10 cm for a poster read from 1 m. The print size calculator works it out for you.
Too much content
A static code that holds a lot of text becomes dense and hard to read when small. Use a dynamic code instead: it holds only a short link. See Static or dynamic.
The print itself
Blurry printing, glossy surfaces that reflect light, and curved or folded surfaces all make codes harder to read. Print as a vector file (SVG, PDF or EPS) and test one copy before printing many.
It scans, but shows an error
If the camera reads the code but you see a page like "QR code not found", see A scan shows an error page.
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