Back to Blog
January 01, 20262 min readqrgrowth

Why QR codes fail in the wild (and how to fix it)

The scan funnel is fragile: printing, contrast, quiet zone, redirects, and loading time all matter. Here’s a practical checklist.

The quick idea

QR code performance is rarely “random.” It’s usually a chain of small, fixable problems:

  • physical scan reliability (print + contrast + quiet zone)
  • redirect hygiene (no chains, no weird blockers)
  • landing speed + message match
  • measurement (UTMs + one clear conversion event)

A practical checklist

[ ] High contrast (dark on light). [ ] Quiet zone (don’t cram it into a corner). [ ] Short redirect chain (ideally 1).

[ ] Landing page loads fast on 4G. [ ] Clear next action in the first screen. [ ] UTMs on every campaign.

Next reads

QRShuffle: generate QR codes with editable links (change destinations later). https://qrshuffle.com/signup

Quick checklist

Test on iOS + Android. Use high contrast (dark code on light background). Keep a clear quiet zone.

Avoid long redirect chains. Add UTMs if you care about attribution.

Watch

Related reads

Try QRShuffle

If you're printing QR codes for posters, packaging, menus, or events, use editable links so you don't have to reprint.

QRSHUFFLE • CREATE

Create a QR code with editable links.

Print once. Update the destination later. Track scans. No reprints.

Editable

Update links without reprinting

Trackable

Scan analytics + UTMs

Fast

Built for real-world scans