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Troubleshooting QR Codes: Outlook, Blocked Images, and Scanning Issues

Work through the section that matches what you're seeing. If none of these fix it, contact support with your Event ID and a screenshot of the email or scan screen.

The QR code doesn't display in the email

Corporate email security is the most common cause. Many corporate gateways (Mimecast, Proofpoint, Microsoft ATP) strip or proxy images, and some deliberately block QR code images as an anti-phishing measure. What to do:

  • Ask the attendee to click "Download pictures" / "Display images" in their email client.
  • Ask them to check the email on their phone's personal mail app — corporate filtering usually doesn't apply there.
  • As the organizer, include a fallback: the attendee's name and a note that they can check in by name at the door. Every SimpleEvents attendee can always be checked in manually from the attendee list — a blocked image never blocks entry.

The QR code shows on mobile but not desktop (or vice versa)

This is almost always the same image-blocking behavior applied differently by the two clients, not a problem with the code itself. Verify by opening the email in the web version of the mail client (e.g. outlook.office.com) and enabling images.

The QR code is huge in Outlook

Outlook on Windows renders images at their native pixel size and ignores some CSS sizing. If you added the QR code property to a custom HubSpot email, set the image width explicitly in the email editor (a width of 150–200px works well for scanning). SimpleEvents' own confirmation emails already size the code correctly.

The code won't scan

  • Screen brightness: low brightness is the #1 scan failure cause. Ask the attendee to turn brightness up.
  • Printed too small: if you print codes on badges, keep them at least 2 cm / ¾ inch square.
  • Wrong event: a code from a different event will read as "not found" — codes are per-event. Check the attendee is registered for this event.
  • Event closed: scanning after an event is marked completed will not check anyone in. Reopen scanning by using the event's check-in page while the event is still active, or record attendance manually afterward.

The scan page never loads

The check-in page needs an internet connection. On venue Wi-Fi with a captive portal, open a browser page first to complete the Wi-Fi login, then retry. If your venue has no reliable connectivity, export the attendee list beforehand as a paper backup and record check-ins afterwards.

Still stuck?

Contact support with: your Event ID (from the URL in your browser when viewing the event), which email client or scanning device is affected, and a screenshot. That's everything we need to reproduce it.