QR access reviewed by the Commission
On 27 February 2026, the European Commission published a review of five years of QR access to EPREL. This European database brings together energy labelling information for registered models.
For covered smartphones and tablets, the official page gives 20 June 2025 as the start of labelling for devices placed on the EU market from that date. This does not mean adding a new QR code to every phone already in use.
The QR code links to data for a specific model
According to the European FAQ, the label’s QR code gives access to model information as registered in EPREL by its supplier. The link retrieves the record associated with that product.
Our advice: compare the brand and model reference shown in the record with those on the device or its packaging. Similar range names do not establish that two records describe the same version.
If you keep a reference in your documentation, also note which model it concerns. You can then recover the context of your comparison without relying only on a photograph of the phone.
European Commission — information accessible through the QR code
Endurance, cycles and repairability measure different things
The official explanation distinguishes energy efficiency class, endurance per charge, battery endurance in cycles, drop resistance, repairability and protection against water and dust.
Endurance per charge is expressed in hours and minutes based on a standardised test. Endurance in cycles concerns the number of charges and discharges before the battery’s usable capacity falls to 80% of its initial rated capacity.
Read each indicator according to its purpose. An energy class does not sum up repairability; a test duration does not guarantee a day’s battery life for you, which depends on your use.
In a repair shop, add to the manufacturer’s information
Fictional example: a repair shop prepares an introductory information sheet for people considering a phone repair. Its page explains how to identify the model and what information to provide when requesting a diagnosis.
The repairer can direct readers to relevant official data and describe its own services separately. It avoids suggesting that a commercial information sheet is a model test result or an official label.
Our editorial advice: attribute data to its source and date your own information when it changes. If you advertise a service, describe what your team actually does and how to request a check for the device concerned.
On a card or poster, name the destination
For the fictional shop’s QR code, a caption such as “Prepare your repair request” clearly indicates a service page. “View the official model record” would suit a link that actually opens that specific record.
Our layout advice: keep the destination text near the QR code, add a readable address and provide essential information another way for people who do not scan.
For a page you manage, check the journey after changing its address or content. The printed material and the page should continue to describe the same service.
Provide an alternative to scanning · Keep control of your links
Qurl creates a service link, not an energy label
Qurl creates a static QR code for an existing address and lets you download it as PNG, SVG or PDF. For the shop in the example, this could be its preparation or contact page.
Qurl does not register models in EPREL, assign energy or repairability classes, or produce regulatory labels. A QR code linking to your page does not replace the model’s official documents.
Choose a destination whose content you can explain, then prepare the image and caption suited to your material.
Create a QR code for your page · View the card and flyer templates