Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 26, 2026

CheckThisQR is a free tool for checking where a QR code leads before you open it. It is operated by Pixoware ("we" or "us"). This policy explains what the site handles when you use it, who else is involved, and the choices you have. There are no accounts or logins, so nothing here is tied to a profile of you.

QR code images stay on your device

QR codes are decoded entirely in your browser, whether you scan with your camera or upload a picture. The image is never uploaded to our servers.

The link we check

If the decoded code contains a web link, that link and nothing else from the code is sent to our server for a safety check. We send it to Google's Web Risk service, which compares it against lists of known malware and phishing sites.

To keep the service fast and to limit repeat lookups, we store the link and its result for up to 24 hours (10 minutes when the check couldn't finish). The cache is keyed by a one-way hash of the link. It is not linked to you, your device or your IP address, and we don't keep a history of what you check.

Bot protection

Before a check runs, Cloudflare Turnstile confirms the request comes from a person rather than an automated script. To do this, Cloudflare receives your IP address and basic browser signals. See Cloudflare's privacy policy.

Hosting

The site runs on Cloudflare, which processes standard request data such as IP address, browser type and the page requested in order to deliver pages and protect the site from abuse.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how many people visit, which pages they read, and roughly where they come from. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect this information, including an approximate location and device details. We use it only in aggregate, to decide which guides to write and improve. You can opt out with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

Advertising

We show ads through Google AdSense to keep CheckThisQR free.

Learn more in how Google uses information from sites that use its services.

Your choices about cookies

If you visit from the European Economic Area, the UK or Switzerland, ad and analytics cookies stay off until you make a choice in the consent message shown on the site. You can change that choice at any time from the privacy link the message provides. In some US states, you can also opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information for targeted advertising through the same message.

Wherever you are, you can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The checker itself works without them.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, including under the GDPR, the UK GDPR and California and other US state privacy laws, you may have the right to ask what personal information we hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, and to object to or limit how it's used. Because we don't run accounts or keep a record of the links you check, we usually hold nothing that identifies you. Information collected by Google or Cloudflare can be managed through their own tools linked above. To make a request, email us at the address below.

Children

CheckThisQR is a general-audience site and is not directed at children under 13. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we'll update it here and change the date at the top.

Contact

Questions or privacy requests can be sent to privacy@checkthisqr.com. You can find other ways to reach us on our contact page.