How do I track QR code scans?
Use a dynamic QR code tied to a short link and every scan is recorded with its time, rough place and device. Read the scans in your analytics and re-point anytime.
Shortlen Editorial · · 3 min read
The short answer
Use a dynamic QR code. Because it points at a short link rather than straight at the destination, the service records each scan — its time, rough location, and device type — so you can read scan totals and trends in your analytics. Print the code once, then re-point the link whenever you like without reprinting, and the scan history keeps building.
Key points
- Only dynamic QR codes can be tracked; a static code encodes the destination directly and records nothing.
- Each scan logs its time, rough place, and device, so you can see when and where a code is working.
- Read scans the same way you read link clicks — totals, trends over time, and a human-vs-bot split.
- Print once and re-point later: the printed code stays the same while you change where it leads.
- Shortlen records scans alongside clicks, including a [human-vs-bot](/blog/track-clicks-on-a-short-link/) view so the numbers are real.
On this page
You track QR code scans by using a dynamic QR code — one that points at a short link instead of straight at the destination. That extra step is what makes tracking possible: every scan passes through the short link first, where the service records it before sending the phone on to the page. A static QR skips that step entirely, which is why a static code can tell you nothing about who scanned it.
Why only dynamic QR codes can be tracked
A static QR code has the destination baked into its pattern, so a phone reads the address and goes there directly — nothing in between to count the scan. A dynamic QR encodes a short link instead. Scanning it loads the short link first, the service records the scan, and then the visitor is redirected to the real page. That middle step is both why you can track it and why you can re-point it later.
If you’re still deciding which to make, the trade-offs are laid out in static vs dynamic QR codes.
What each scan records
A tracked scan captures the same kind of information as a link click — it describes the scan, not the individual:
- Time — when the scan happened, so you can see peaks and quiet periods.
- Rough location — the general place a scan came from, useful for print and signage in multiple spots.
- Device and platform — the type of phone or system, so you know what people are scanning with.
Because a scan is just a click on the short link, Shortlen applies the same human-vs-bot filtering, so automated hits don’t inflate your totals and the numbers you read reflect real people.
How to read your scan analytics
Open the analytics for the short link behind your QR and read it like any click report. Start with the total scans to gauge interest, then look at the trend over time to see whether a poster or label is still pulling scans or has gone quiet. Use the location breakdown to compare placements, and the device split to understand your audience. If you’ve placed the same campaign in several spots, give each one its own QR so you can tell which location performs.
For the general approach to reading these reports, the guide on tracking clicks on a short link applies directly to scans too.
Print once, re-point later
The quiet superpower of a dynamic QR is that the printed code and the destination are separate. You can print a code on packaging, a poster, or a business card, and then change where it leads — to a new landing page, a seasonal menu, an updated form — without reprinting a single thing. The scan history carries across the change, so you keep one continuous record of how that physical code performs over its whole life.
What to do next
If you’re about to print anything with a QR, make it dynamic so you can track and re-point it. See the features for the QR design studio and scan analytics, or check the prices to see what’s included on each plan.
Questions people ask
Can I track a QR code I already printed?
Only if it was a dynamic QR tied to a short link. A static code printed straight to a destination can't be tracked and can't be changed. This is the main reason to choose dynamic before printing anything.
What does each scan record?
A dynamic QR scan records the kind of information a link click records: the time of the scan, a rough location, and the device or platform. It doesn't identify the individual person; it describes the scan.
Can I re-point a QR code after printing it?
Yes, with a dynamic QR. The printed pattern never changes, but you can edit where the underlying short link goes, so the same poster or label can lead somewhere new. The scan history continues across the change.
Are QR scans counted as clicks?
A scan opens the short link, so it's recorded the same way a click is. Shortlen's human-vs-bot filtering applies, so automated scans don't inflate your real numbers.