What to do when a printed QR code stops working
Scan it with a second phone, then open the address it points to in a browser. If the code will not scan, the print is damaged or the margin is gone. If it scans but lands on an error or a paused page, the destination is the problem, and with a dynamic code you can fix that without reprinting.
Takes: 10 minutes
First, find out which half is broken
A printed code has two parts that fail in completely different ways. The picture on the paper has to be readable by a camera, and the address inside it has to lead somewhere that works. Everything else follows from which one is broken, so spend two minutes here before changing anything.
- 1
Scan it with two different phones
Use your own and someone else's, ideally one older. If one reads it and the other does not, the print is marginal rather than dead. If neither reads it, the print is the problem.
- 2
Note exactly what happens after the scan
Nothing at all, a link banner that opens an error, a page saying the card is paused, a page saying it expired, or the wrong page. Each of those points to a different cause below.
- 3
Open the address in a normal browser
If the camera shows a banner, read the address on it. Type or paste it into a browser on mobile data. If it fails there, the destination is down, whatever the code looks like.
If the code will not scan at all
- 4
Look for physical damage
Scratches, ink rubbed off, a crease through the grid, sun fading, or a coffee ring. Error correction lets a code survive some damage, but a fold through one of the three large corner squares can defeat it.
- 5
Check the margin and contrast
A sticker or border placed too close, a frame cutting into the clear space, or a pale colour that has faded against its background. The code needs a clean margin and strong contrast.
- 6
Check for glare and lamination
A gloss finish reflects light. Tilt the card, scan in shade, or cover a window light. If glare is the issue, a matte laminate or sticker fixes it.
- 7
Reprint only if the picture is damaged
You can download the code image again from the dashboard as PNG, JPEG, SVG or WebP, and reprint it. The new image carries the same address, so existing printed copies keep working.
If it scans but the page is wrong
- 8
The page says the card is paused
A paused card shows a message that its owner has paused it. In the dashboard the card is marked Paused, and you can turn it back on. A card also pauses when a subscription lapses, and it works again once the subscription is resumed. It is paused rather than deleted.
- 9
The page says it has expired
This message appears for a code that has passed its end date. Check the card in the dashboard, and write to support if you did not expect it to expire.
- 10
The page is not found
The card was deleted, or the printed code contains a different address from the one you expect. Compare the address from the scan with the link shown on the card in the dashboard.
- 11
It opens the old details
Pages are cached by browsers and phones. Reload the page, or open it in a private tab. If you edited the card and the old details persist, wait a few minutes and check again.
What is and is not fixable without reprinting
A dynamic code contains a short address that we control, and what that address leads to can be changed at any time. So a wrong destination, a paused card or an outdated number is fixed in the dashboard and every printed copy follows. A code that is physically unreadable, or a static code that holds a long address inside the image, cannot be fixed by changing settings: the paper itself has to be replaced. And if the short address was lost by deleting the card, that exact printed code cannot be revived, so avoid deleting a card that is on printed material. VCardForever cannot tell you why a particular phone fails to read your print. Test it on real paper under real light.
Common questions
Why does my QR code work on one phone and not another?
Cameras, autofocus and scanning software differ. A code that reads on newer phones but fails on older ones is marginal. The usual causes are too much data, too small a print, a trimmed margin or low contrast.
Does a QR code expire?
The picture does not. What it points to can stop working, if the card is paused, deleted or has an end date, or if a site the code goes to goes offline.
Do I need to reprint every card if I edit my details?
No. With a dynamic code the printed picture stays the same and the details behind it change. You only reprint when the picture itself is damaged or was made as a static code.