Explainer
Can you track who scans a QR code?
The short answer
You can track how many times a QR code is scanned, when, roughly where and on what kind of phone, but not who scanned it. Scans are anonymous: a QR code tracking tool sees a phone open a link, not a name, email or phone number. And only dynamic QR codes can be tracked at all.
Here is exactly what QR code tracking shows, what it cannot show, and the honest ways to find out more about the people scanning.
Why only dynamic QR codes can be tracked
A static QR code holds the final web address, so the phone goes straight there and nothing in between ever sees the scan. A dynamic QR code holds a short link instead. Every scan passes through that short link for a split second, and that moment is when the scan is counted before the person is sent on.
Static
Dynamic
What QR code tracking shows
On a HueQR dynamic QR code, each scan records:
- How many times it was scanned, and by roughly how many different phones.
- When: by day, weekday and hour.
- Roughly where: country and city, worked out from the network, not GPS.
- On what: phone or computer, operating system and browser.
- Which rule sent them where, if the code has smart rules.
What it cannot show
No name, email, phone number or exact address. Nothing about the person is sent when a phone opens a link, and a QR code cannot read anything from the phone. HueQR also stores no IP address and sets nothing on the phone, so a scan cannot be tied back to a person later.
Be wary of any tool that claims otherwise. Knowing who someone is always needs them to tell you.
How to find out who scanned, honestly
If you need to know who the people are, ask them on the page the code opens:
- A short form for a discount, a booking or a newsletter.
- A sign-in or checkout on your own website, which you can tie to the scan with UTM tags.
- A Google review or a feedback form, where people choose to share their name.
Track each placement separately
The most useful thing tracking can tell you is which print worked. Give the window poster, the flyer and the receipt their own QR code, and you will see which one people actually scan, and when.
Questions
Can you see who scanned your QR code?
No. You can see how many scans, when, the rough location and the device, but not the person. Scans are anonymous.
Can you track how many times a QR code is scanned?
Yes, if it is a dynamic QR code. Each scan passes through a short link that counts it. A static code cannot be counted directly.
Can a QR code track my location?
Not by itself. The tracking tool sees the rough city from the network, like any website you open. It cannot see your exact location or anything else on your phone.
Is QR code tracking legal?
Counting anonymous scans is like counting visits to a website. If you collect names or emails on the page the code opens, the usual privacy rules for your country apply.