A QR code test checks whether a scanner can read codes reliably: plain ones, and the awkward ones you meet on menus, posters and screens. Point your phone camera, or any scanner app, at each sample code below and compare what it shows with the expected result under the code.
Tick each code that scanned correctly to get a score for your scanner. Everything runs in your browser: the codes are drawn on this page, and nothing you scan or tick is sent anywhere.
How to run the scan test
- Use the scanner you want to test. Open your phone's camera app, Google Lens, or the scanner app you normally use.
- Scan from a normal distance. Hold the phone 20 to 30 cm from the screen. Most phones cannot focus closer than about 10 cm, so moving in closer often makes a scan fail.
- Compare with the expected result. Tick "It scanned" only when the scanner showed the expected content, not just a beep.
- Check your score. The panel at the bottom counts your ticks and tells you what your scanner can and cannot handle.
Testing on a computer instead? Download a code with its Download PNG button and drop it on scan QR without a camera, or open this page on a second screen and point your phone at it.
What each failure tells you
| Code that failed | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Website link or plain text | The scanner is not seeing the code at all. | Turn screen brightness up, fit the whole code in the frame, step back, and clean the camera lens. |
| WiFi, contact card or calendar event | The code was read, but the app does not understand the format, so it shows nothing or raw text. | Use a scanner that shows every format, such as the WiFi QR decoder for network codes. |
| Inverted colors | The scanner only looks for dark squares on a light background. | Read it with a reader that tries both ways. See inverted QR codes. |
| Dense code | The camera cannot resolve very small squares from that distance. | Move slightly closer, but not under 10 cm. When you make codes, keep the content short so the squares stay large. |
| Low contrast | The decoder cannot separate the squares from the background. | For codes you print, keep dark squares on a light background. To read a faded one, try the blurry QR code reader. |
| Damaged code | The covered part is larger than the error correction the scanner can rebuild. | Try QR code repair, and read about error correction levels. |
Why these ten codes
The first four are the codes people scan every day: links on posters, text on labels, WiFi cards in cafes and rentals, and contact cards on business cards. Every scanner should pass them. Tests 5 and 6 use formats that are part of the standard but often ignored, so a scanner that shows them properly is more complete than most.
The last four are stress tests. Inverted codes are common in dark website designs and on signs. Dense codes appear when someone puts a long link or a full contact card into one code. Low contrast copies a faded print or a menu printed in brand colors. The damaged code uses the highest error correction level (H), which can rebuild up to about 30% of a code, and a smudge covers part of it, as a scratch or sticker would.
Testing your own QR code instead
This page tests a scanner. To test a code you made before it goes to print, follow how to test a QR code before printing: scan it on several phones, at the printed size and distance, and check that the link opens the right page. The QR code size chart gives the smallest size that scans at each distance, and if your code will not scan at all, start with QR code not scanning.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to scan these test codes?
Yes. They hold only the text shown under each code. The link code opens this page, the WiFi code names a network that does not exist, and the contact card uses a reserved test phone number and an example.com email address.
Why does the WiFi test not connect?
The network Toolsque-Test does not exist. The test passes when your phone offers to join it, which shows that the scanner understood the WiFi format.
My phone camera passed, but my scanner app failed. Why?
Scanner apps use different decoders. Built-in camera apps on recent iPhones and Android phones read most formats, while some third-party apps only handle links and text. The test shows which one to trust for which job.
Can I print these codes to test a barcode or QR scanner gun?
Yes. Use Download PNG on each code and print them at 3 cm or larger. Handheld scanner guns vary in how they handle the contact card, event and inverted tests, so the results are a useful comparison between models.
Does this page store my results?
No. The codes are drawn in your browser and the score is counted on the page. Nothing is sent to our server, and the ticks are gone when you leave.
Found a problem with a test code? Report a bug. Changelog: 31 October 2026, page published with 10 test codes and a scanner score.