# Track QR Code Scans by Location and Device Source: https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans Last modified: 2026-09-21 Description: Track QR code scans by location and device: total scans, time, city, region, country, and device - plus optional precise GPS location when you need to know exactly where a scan happened. Per-code analytics so you know which print run, sign, or campaign is working. Know exactly how often your QR codes get scanned, when, what city and country they're scanned from, and on what device - with optional precise GPS location when you need to know exactly where a scan happened. Per-code analytics on every dynamic QR code in your dashboard, so you can prove what's working and stop guessing about what isn't. ## Why QR Code Scan Tracking Matters Without tracking, a QR code is a blind handoff: you print it, you put it somewhere, and you have no way to know whether it's earning its place there. With per-code scan tracking, every yard sign, table tent, magazine ad, packaging label, or business card becomes its own measurable channel - with a number you can compare against every other one. Static QR codes can't track. The URL is encoded directly into the pattern and the scan goes straight from the camera to the destination, never touching anything that could count it. **Dynamic QR codes** from EZQR record every scan as it happens, building a per-code analytics history you can pull up months or years later. ## What EZQR Tracks for Every Scan ### Total Scans How many scans the code has received, with every scan counted - there are no scan caps on any plan. ### Scan History Over Time Daily, weekly, monthly trend lines over any date range, with a compare-to-previous-period view. Spot when a campaign starts working - or quietly stops. ### City, Region & Country Where each scan came from - down to the city in most cases. Useful for international campaigns, regional A/B tests, and proving foot traffic on specific signage. ### Device Type Mobile vs tablet vs desktop, plus browser and operating system. Helps confirm your destination is rendering correctly across the device mix. ### Time of Scan Hour-of-day patterns. Useful for tuning ad placement, signage hours, and follow-up timing. ### Per-Code Breakdown Every QR code has its own analytics page, so there's no guessing which print run drove the lift - and the dashboard home adds campaign totals across all your codes for the same date range. ## Scan Location: Approximate by Default, Precise When You Need It QR code location tracking works at two levels. Every scan is logged with an approximate location - city, region, and country - worked out from the network the scan came through. That's enough to compare placements across cities and see where a printed code is getting scanned, and it happens with no prompt and nothing for the person scanning to do. When you need to know **exactly** where a scan happened, turn on **Require location** for that code. With it enabled, anyone who scans is asked to share their device's location before the code opens. If they allow it, the scan is recorded with their precise coordinates - down to the street - instead of the approximate city-level fix, and that exact point is reverse-geocoded to the real neighbourhood, city, and country. If they decline, they don't continue, so every recorded scan on that code carries a confirmed, consented location. Precise location earns its keep when the *where* is the whole point: confirming a field rep actually visited a site, attributing scans to a specific booth at a multi-venue event, telling apart two placements a block apart, or proving on-location engagement for a promotion. It's an opt-in setting on each dynamic code and a paid feature - leave it off and scans keep their standard city-level location, no prompt shown. ## How to Track QR Code Scans - Setup in Three Steps 1. **Create a dynamic QR code in EZQR.** Sign up and paste the destination URL. Dynamic QR codes are the only kind that record analytics - static codes have no way to count. 2. **Print, share, or post the QR code.** Yard signs, packaging, business cards, slides, posters, social posts - anywhere a phone camera can see it. 3. **Open the analytics dashboard.** Each QR code has its own analytics page. You see total scans, scans over time, city / region / country breakdown, and device type for every code. 4. **Compare codes side by side.** Use a separate code for each campaign, location, or print run. The dashboard shows which one is working and which is not, so you can shift budget to the winner. 5. **Export the data.** Download scan history as CSV for deeper analysis in spreadsheets, BI tools, or your own attribution model. 6. **Tag the destination for your web analytics.** Add UTM parameters to the destination link - for example `utm_source=qr&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=spring-flyer` - and Google Analytics attributes every scan to that code alongside your other channels. Because the destination is editable, you can add or change the tags after the code is printed. ## How to Use Scan Data Once You Have It - **Compare placements.** Print the same offer with two different QR codes - one in the magazine ad, one on the in-store table tent. After two weeks, the analytics tell you which placement actually drove scans. - **Find dead inventory.** If a yard sign or window decal has scanned zero times in a month, it isn't working. Move it, change the design, or repurpose the spot. - **Catch campaign drop-off.** A scan trend that suddenly flatlines often means something broke - the destination went down, the print got removed, the season changed. Without tracking, you'd never know. - **Time follow-up to actual interest.** If most scans happen Thursday evening, that's when to schedule the email send, ad push, or staff coverage. - **Justify the spend.** "This sign generated 412 scans last month" turns the QR from a print decoration into a measurable line item. ## Looking for QR Code History on Your Own Phone? Two different things get called "QR code history." If you're trying to find **a code you scanned** - the last QR code you pointed your camera at, and you've lost the link - that's your phone's history, not analytics, and nothing on this page will show it to you. Here's where it actually lives: - **iPhone.** If you scanned through the Camera app, the link opened in your browser - so check Safari (or whichever browser opened it) under History for that date and time. If you used the dedicated *Code Scanner* from Control Centre, it doesn't keep a list of its own, so the browser history is again the trail. - **Android.** Codes scanned with Google Lens are kept in your Lens or Google search activity, so you can scroll back through them. Scans made straight from the camera app open in the browser, so browser history is the record. Some manufacturers' camera apps keep a short scan list of their own. - **Either way.** The reliable common thread is browser history - a scanned QR code almost always ends in a page load, and that page load is timestamped. Sort by the time you scanned and it'll be there. Phones deliberately keep this local, and no website - EZQR included - can read the list of codes a given phone has scanned. If instead you want to know how many people scanned *a code you created*, and where and when, that's the scan analytics this page is about, and it's per-code in your dashboard. ## Tracked, Editable, Reusable Tracking is one half of what dynamic QR codes give you. The other half is that the same printed code can be [repointed at a new destination](https://ezqr.ca/editable-qr-codes) anytime - and the analytics keep flowing into the same code's history. So you can track a single printed QR across multiple campaigns over its full lifetime, not start over every time the link changes. ## Static vs. Dynamic for Tracking | | Static (Free, No Account) | Dynamic (Account Required) | | --- | --- | --- | | Scan count | None - no way to track | Total and unique scans, per code | | Scan history over time | Not available | Daily, weekly, monthly trend | | Location | Not available | City, region, and country per scan - plus optional precise GPS location | | Device type | Not available | Mobile / tablet / desktop, browser, and iOS / Android | | Editable destination | No - URL baked in | Yes - repoint anytime | | Best for | Permanent links you'll never need to measure | Marketing, signage, anything you'd want to optimize | ## Common Questions ### Can I see who scanned my QR code by name? No - analytics are aggregate. You see counts, location (city / region / country), device, and time, but not personally identifiable information. If you need named leads, send the scan to a form, login page, or signup flow on your destination site and capture the identity there. ### Can you see your QR code history - the codes you've scanned? Yes, but on your phone rather than here. A scanned QR code almost always opens a page, so your browser history for that date and time is the dependable record. On Android, codes scanned with Google Lens also stay in your Lens or Google activity. That history is local to the device - no website can read the list of codes a phone has scanned. This page is about the other kind of history: the scans collected by a code *you* created. ### How do I find the last QR code I scanned? Open your browser history and sort to the moment you scanned it - the page the code opened will be sitting at that timestamp. On an iPhone, that's Safari (or whichever browser opened the link), including scans made with the Control Centre Code Scanner. On Android, check Google Lens activity as well as browser history. There's no separate system-wide "scanned codes" list on either platform. ### Can you track how many times a QR code is scanned? Yes, if it's a dynamic QR code. Each one records every scan, so you get a running total plus an approximate unique-scanner count, a trend over time, and the city, country, device, and time behind each scan. A static QR code can't be counted at all - the destination is baked into the pattern, so nothing observes the scan. Counting has to be decided before you print: a static code can't be given tracking after the fact. ### Can I track scans on a free static QR code? Static QR codes encode the destination URL directly into the pattern - the phone scans the code and goes straight to the URL, never touching anything that could count it. There's no way to add tracking to a static code retroactively. You'd need to recreate it as a dynamic code. ### Does tracking slow down the scan? No measurably. The scan analytics happen in milliseconds and the user lands on your destination at the same speed they would with a static code. Most people don't notice tracking is happening at all. ### How accurate is the location tracking? By default, city, region, and country - derived from the network each scan came from, not GPS. Country is the most reliable, region close behind, and city is accurate in most urban scans but can drift on mobile carrier networks that backhaul through distant gateways. Granular enough to compare placements across cities; not granular enough to identify individuals. When you need street-level accuracy, switch on Require location (see below) so consenting scanners are recorded with a precise GPS fix instead. ### Can I capture the exact GPS location of a QR code scan? Yes - turn on **Require location** for a dynamic code. Once it's on, each person who scans is asked to share their device location before the code opens; if they agree, that scan is recorded with their precise coordinates instead of the approximate city-level one, and those who decline don't proceed. It's opt-in per code and a paid feature, and because it relies on the scanner's consent it's built for legitimate location verification - proof a code was scanned on-site, at an event, or on a specific route - not covert tracking. ### Can I export QR code scan data? Yes - every code's scan history is exportable as CSV. Drop it into a spreadsheet, your BI tool, or your attribution model. ### Can I use UTM parameters with a QR code? Yes. Put the UTM parameters on the dynamic code's destination link, and your web analytics - Google Analytics, Matomo, or whatever you run - attributes each scan to that code the same way it attributes a click on an ad or an email. EZQR's own scan analytics count every scan regardless, and because the destination is editable you can add, fix, or change the UTM tags after the code has been printed. ### Can I track conversions, not just scans? Scan tracking handles the QR side of the funnel; for conversions on the destination, add Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or your own conversion tracking to the landing page. EZQR's per-code scan count gives you the top of funnel; your destination analytics give you the rest. If you want to run ads to scanners afterwards, see [retargeting QR codes](https://ezqr.ca/retargeting-qr-codes). ### Scan Tracking Tips - Use a separate QR code per campaign or placement - Name your codes clearly - "Spring billboard, Hwy 17" - Check analytics weekly during active campaigns - A code with zero scans in a month is dead inventory - Export to CSV for cross-channel attribution - Add UTM tags to the destination for cross-channel attribution - Track the destination separately for full-funnel data ## QR Code Tracking FAQ ## What is a branded QR code link? A branded QR code link carries a label you choose - like your business, product, or campaign name - instead of a generic string. With [dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca](https://ezqr.ca/editable-qr-codes) you set it in your dashboard, so the link looks professional and recognizable when someone scans your code. ## Are branded QR code links free? Branded and custom links come with EZQR dynamic QR codes, which are a paid feature. [Static QR codes from ezqr.ca are free forever](https://ezqr.ca/make-link-into-qr-code-free) and never expire, but they can't carry a custom branded link. If a recognizable, on-brand link matters for your campaign, a dynamic QR code is the way to go. ## Can I use a custom QR code URL for a marketing campaign? Yes. Give each campaign its own custom label so the link stays on-message and easy to recognize across signage, print, and packaging. You can [update the destination](https://ezqr.ca/change-qr-code-after-printing) and track scans at any time, and switch the link style whenever you like from your dashboard. ## Does a branded QR code link make my code more trustworthy? It helps. People are more likely to [scan and follow through](https://ezqr.ca/qr-code-scanner) when the link carries a name they recognize rather than a random string. A branded link also makes your printed materials look polished, which reinforces trust in your brand. ## Can my team share access to our QR codes? Yes. Invite your team to your EZQR organization from account settings with a shareable link - each person signs in with their own login, so nobody shares a password. Give each one a role: owners manage billing and members, editors create and edit codes, pages and designs, and viewers can see every code and its scan analytics without changing anything. Everything in the organization is shared - codes, scan analytics, landing pages, and [saved design themes](https://ezqr.ca/custom-qr-code), so one person can set the brand look and everyone's codes come out matching. Up to 10 team members are included in every [paid plan](https://ezqr.ca/pricing) with no per-seat pricing, and you can remove someone the day they leave. ## Can I give an agency or a client access to my QR code analytics? Yes. Invite them as a viewer: they can open every code and its [scan analytics](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans) - scans over time, locations, devices - but can't change a destination or create anything. If the agency runs the campaign, make them an editor instead so they can update codes and landing pages themselves. Keep a separate organization for each client if their codes shouldn't sit side by side; one login can belong to several organizations and switch between them from the dashboard. ## How do QR codes work in marketing? QR codes work by encoding information that smartphone cameras can read instantly. When scanned, they direct users to websites, promotions, or digital content, creating a seamless bridge between [offline marketing materials](https://ezqr.ca/qr-codes-for-marketing) and online experiences. ## What makes QR codes effective for marketing? QR codes eliminate friction in the customer journey by removing the need to type URLs or search for content. They provide instant access to information, can be [tracked for analytics](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans), and work across all smartphone platforms without requiring special apps. ## Should I use static or dynamic QR codes for marketing? Dynamic QR codes are generally better for marketing because they allow you to update destinations, track detailed analytics, and [modify campaigns without reprinting materials](https://ezqr.ca/change-qr-code-after-printing). Static codes work well for permanent information like contact details. ## How can I track QR code marketing performance? Dynamic QR codes provide [detailed analytics including scan counts](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans), geographic data, device types, and timing patterns. This data helps optimize campaigns and measure ROI for your marketing efforts. ## What's the best size for marketing QR codes? QR codes should be at least 2x2 cm (0.8x0.8 inches) for reliable scanning. For [posters, billboards, and distant viewing](https://ezqr.ca/qr-code-for-posters), codes should be much larger. Test scanning distance to ensure your target audience can easily scan the code. ## Can I customize QR codes for my brand? Yes, QR codes can be [customized with colors](https://ezqr.ca/colored-qr-code), logos, and frames while maintaining scannability. Use high contrast between the code and background, and ensure error correction is sufficient to accommodate design elements. ## Can I keep and organize my QR codes in one place? Yes. With a paid plan your EZQR dashboard catalogues every code you make - dynamic codes and the static codes you generate - in one organized library, so you're not hunting through a folder of loose downloads. [Static codes stay free forever](https://ezqr.ca/make-link-into-qr-code-free) and keep working whether or not you have a plan; the dashboard simply gives you one place to keep them alongside your dynamic ones. ## Can I save a QR code design and reuse it on other codes? Yes. Style a QR code the way you like - colors, [logo](https://ezqr.ca/qr-code-with-logo), corner and eye styles, even a decorative shape - then save it as a reusable theme. Apply that saved theme to any new code, static or dynamic, in a click, and share themes across your team so every code stays on-brand. Saved design themes come with every paid plan. ## What is the difference between static and dynamic QR codes? Static QR codes contain fixed data that cannot be changed after creation. Dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca use technology to [enable editing, analytics, and advanced features](https://ezqr.ca/editable-qr-codes). Dynamic codes let you update destinations, track scans, and gather insights, while static codes are permanent and offer no tracking. ## How do I track QR code scans? Use dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca to [track every scan](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans). Our platform provides detailed analytics including total scans, unique visitors, geographic locations, device types, and scan times. Simply create a dynamic QR code and access your analytics dashboard to monitor performance in real-time. ## What analytics do QR codes provide? Dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca provide [comprehensive analytics](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans) including scan counts, unique users, geographic data, device and browser types, referral sources, and time-based patterns. This data helps you understand audience engagement, optimize campaigns, and measure ROI effectively. ## Can I see who scanned my QR code? With dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca, you can see [aggregate data about who scanned your code](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans), including their geographic location, device type, and scan time. For privacy reasons, personally identifiable information is not collected unless users voluntarily provide it through your linked content. ## How do I monitor QR code performance? Create dynamic QR codes with ezqr.ca and access your analytics dashboard to [monitor performance metrics](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans) like scan rates, engagement patterns, peak usage times, and geographic distribution. Set up tracking goals to measure conversions and campaign effectiveness over time. ## How do I track QR code clicks? Dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca automatically [track all clicks (scans)](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans). Each time someone scans your QR code, the click is recorded with details like timestamp, location, and device type. Access your dashboard to view click analytics and download reports for deeper analysis. ## What is QR code scan tracking? QR code scan tracking is the ability to monitor and analyze every scan of your QR code. ezqr.ca provides [scan tracking for dynamic QR codes](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans), capturing data about when, where, and how your codes are scanned, helping you optimize marketing campaigns and measure engagement. ## Can I track conversions from QR codes? Yes, dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca [enable conversion tracking](https://ezqr.ca/track-qr-code-scans). By linking to landing pages with conversion tracking pixels or integrating with analytics platforms like Google Analytics, you can track how many scans result in desired actions like purchases, sign-ups, or downloads. ## Can I retarget people who scanned my QR code? Yes, when using dynamic QR codes from ezqr.ca, you can [implement retargeting](https://ezqr.ca/retargeting-qr-codes) by adding tracking pixels to your destination pages. This allows you to create remarketing audiences in platforms like Facebook Ads and Google Ads to re-engage people who scanned your QR codes. ## Do QR code generators have dashboards? Professional QR code generators like ezqr.ca provide comprehensive dashboards where you can create QR codes, view per-code scan analytics, [edit destinations](https://ezqr.ca/editable-qr-codes), and keep every code in one place. Dashboards make it easy to track and optimize your QR code marketing efforts. ## How does QR code link management work? QR code link management with ezqr.ca uses technology to create [trackable, editable links](https://ezqr.ca/editable-qr-codes). Each dynamic QR code is handled through our platform, allowing you to change destinations, gather analytics, and manage all your QR code links from one central dashboard. ## Can QR codes be different colors? Yes - a QR code doesn't have to be black and white. On the [colored QR code generator](https://ezqr.ca/colored-qr-code) you can set the code color and background to match your brand, as long as you keep strong contrast between the two so phone cameras still read it cleanly. Dark code on a light background is the most reliable combination. ## Can I get a QR code for my Facebook page? Yes - copy your Facebook page's web address and paste it into the [Facebook QR code generator](https://ezqr.ca/qr-code-for-facebook) to get a code that opens your page when scanned. Print it on flyers, packaging, or a window sign so people can follow you without searching. It's free to make as a static code. ## Can one QR code link to my Facebook and Instagram together? Yes - instead of one code per network, point a single [QR code with multiple links](https://ezqr.ca/qr-code-with-multiple-links) at a small landing page listing your Facebook, Instagram, and anything else. Scanners pick where to go, and with a dynamic code you can add or reorder links later without reprinting. ## How do I put a QR code in a YouTube video? Generate the code for the page you want viewers on, download it as a transparent PNG or an SVG, then add it to your editing timeline as an image overlay. Size it to roughly 15 to 20 percent of the frame height, keep it out of the bottom strip where the player controls sit, put it over a still background, and hold it on screen for at least 5 to 8 seconds. Full details, including why the code should be editable, are in our [QR codes for YouTube](https://ezqr.ca/qr-code-for-youtube) guide. ## How do I make a QR code for my YouTube channel or a video? Copy your channel address (youtube.com/@yourhandle) or the Share link for a video, Short, or playlist, then paste it into the [YouTube QR code generator](https://ezqr.ca/qr-code-for-youtube). Scanning opens it in the YouTube app when installed, or the mobile site when it is not. Print it on packaging, product inserts, cards, or a window sign so people watch without searching for you. --- EZQR: static QR codes are free forever; dynamic QR codes (editable destination, scan analytics) require a plan. Site summary for agents: https://ezqr.ca/llms.txt - every page in one document: https://ezqr.ca/llms-full.txt Any page is available as Markdown at its own URL with `Accept: text/markdown`, or by appending `.md` to the path.