Identify the symptom
- No result: start with the visual quality of the QR code.
- An address appears but the page does not load: check the network, website and permissions.
- A different page opens: compare the encoded link and any redirects.
- Text appears instead of an action: the reader may not support that import or content type.
Try the expected link directly in your browser. If it also fails without a QR code, changing the code’s colours or resolution will not fix the destination.
Test the original file
Open the downloaded PNG in the Qurl reader. Avoid a photograph of the paper or a layout screenshot for this first test: both add transformations. If the file is read, keep it as a reference and compare the decoded content exactly with your input.
If the original file fails, recreate a black-on-white version without a logo and with the full margin. Use a short address you control. This reference version lets you reintroduce options one at a time to identify what makes reading less reliable.
Find the transformation that damages the code
Compare the file with its placement: square proportions, a clear border, sharp small squares and no overlapping element. A frame, shadow or automatic crop may intrude into the margin. A horizontally stretched image no longer preserves the original grid.
Export the layout at final quality and read the QR code from that output. If only this file fails, fix the export or placement before changing generators. For vector formats, ask your printer to preserve the drawing without blur effects.
Test the material one variable at a time
If the digital version works but the print does not, first try a larger, sharper print. Then check lighting, angle, folds and reflections. Keep the same file and change only one variable per attempt. Record the phone, approximate distance and material used.
One successful device test does not guarantee every use case. Continue with QR codes behind glass or a QR code opening the wrong page. When reporting a problem to Qurl, use a reproducible fictional example without Wi-Fi passwords or personal data.