Find out if a QR code will scan before you print a thousand of them. Get a grade, the reasons behind it and a fix for each problem.
We measure damage, contrast, the white border, module size and density, show a module-by-module damage map, and can grade a printed proof live through your camera. Just need to read a code? Use the QR Code Scanner. Making a new one? Try the QR Code Generator.
Something went wrong. Please try again.
Still having trouble? Please contact us and we'll be happy to help!
or drop it here, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl + V
No code handy? Try a sample:
Checked in your browser by our own QR engine - the image is never uploaded.
The clean copy is rebuilt from the data we read - same content, version, error correction and mask, with a full white border.
Checking a code from a PDF? Turn the page into an image first with PDF to PNG, then drop it here.
| Check | Good | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Repair data used | under 25% | Whatever is used up now cannot cover scratches, dirt or glare later |
| Contrast | 4:1 or more | Phones in dim light need a clear difference between dark and light |
| Quiet zone | 4 modules | Text or images touching the code confuse the scanner |
| Module size | 3 px or more | Tiny squares blur together on screens and cheap printers |
| Density | version 10 or lower | Fewer, bigger modules scan from further away |
| Error correction | M or higher | Level L leaves almost no room for damage or a logo |
| Efficiency | no wasted space | The same content can sometimes fit a smaller or sturdier code |
Codes made with the QR Code Generator are scan-tested live as you design, so they usually arrive here with an A.
The damage map shows a red block in the middle. Shrink the logo to about a quarter of the width and use error correction H.
Brand pastels often fall under 3:1. Use a darker shade for the code and keep the background light.
Designers love to crop tight. Leave four modules of white space - it is part of the code.
Export the code at a bigger size, or enlarge an existing image with the Image Upscaler.
Upload the print file or a screenshot of it. The checker reads the code with our own decoder and grades it on everything that matters in real life: damage, contrast, the white border, module size and density.
Aim for an A or B. Then print one proof and scan it with two different phones - paper and lighting add their own problems.
Every QR code carries extra Reed-Solomon repair data. When parts of the code are dirty, covered by a logo or misprinted, the scanner uses that repair data to rebuild them.
0% means the code is perfect. 50% means half the safety margin is already gone before the code even gets scratched. At 100% one more flaw breaks it. The block tiles show this for each part of the code.
We rebuild the perfect version of your code from the data we read, then compare it module by module with your image. Every square that came out the wrong colour is marked red.
Red clusters show you exactly where the problem is - a logo that is too big, a scratch, glare, or a printer smudge.
We measure the real brightness of the dark and light modules in your image. A ratio of 4:1 or more scans reliably, 7:1 or more is excellent. Below 3:1 many phones struggle, especially in dim light.
Testing brand colours before you design? Use the Color Contrast Checker.
The standard asks for 4 modules of empty space on every side. Many phones manage with 2, but a code printed right against text, a photo or the edge of a label often fails.
If the checker says the border is cut off, give the code more room in your layout.
If the checker can still read it, yes. Click Download clean copy - we rebuild a perfect code with the same content, version and settings, so it scans exactly like the original was meant to.
Want it in your colours or with a logo? Click Restyle to open it in the QR Code Generator.
Yes. Click Test a print and point your phone or laptop camera at the printed proof. You get a live grade, the repair data used and the contrast, plus how many of the last frames read the code - a code that reads in only some frames will annoy people.
Happy with what you see? Freeze takes that frame into the full report with the damage map.
No. Our own QR engine runs in your browser, so the image never leaves your device. Just want to read a code quickly? The QR Code Scanner also works with your camera.