What scanners see
What happens on someone's phone when they scan your code, and how to explain it to your visitors.
People scanning your codes don’t need an app or an account. They use their phone’s camera like with any QR code.
Standard codes
The phone opens your page straight away. Dynamic codes take a brief detour through ScanFence, which is where they’re counted and where rules and limits apply. Scanners don’t notice it.
Codes that check location
Geofence and multi-location codes first open a short ScanFence page that asks for the phone’s location.
- The phone shows its usual prompt, “app.scanfence.com would like to use your location” or similar. The scanner taps Allow.
- ScanFence compares the position with your zone. That takes a second or two, longer if the phone has to find a GPS signal first.
- The result depends on where the scanner is:
| Situation | Geofence code | Multi-location code |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the zone | Confirmed: “You’re at …” | Sent to that location’s page |
| Outside | ”You’re outside …”, with a hint to move closer. They can try again. | Sent to the fallback page |
| Location refused or unavailable | Asked to switch on location services and try again | Sent to the fallback page |
Put a line next to the code on your sign, such as “Allow location when asked: this code only works on site.” It noticeably reduces refused permissions.
If a scanner is refused
- They are on site but still refused. Their phone may have a poor fix, especially indoors. Ask them to step near a window or outside and try again. If it happens often, increase the zone’s radius.
- Location is switched off. On iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services, and allow it for the browser. On Android: pull down the quick settings and turn on Location.
- They tapped “Don’t allow” earlier. The browser remembers it. They need to allow location for the site in their browser settings, then scan again.
- Many scans in a row from one network. To stop abuse, location checks are limited per network. After a lot of attempts within an hour, scanners see “Too many location checks from your network” and need to wait.
Switched-off, used-up and deleted codes
- A code you switched inactive shows “This QR code is inactive”.
- A code over its scan limit goes to your limit-reached page, or shows a short message if you didn’t set one.
- A code in the trash no longer works.