Check a QR link before you open it

Separate reading from visiting

A QR pattern does not tell you whether the person who printed it is trustworthy. Reading its data and visiting its website are separate actions. When you already have an image, the YourQRTools reader lets you inspect its contents without automatically opening the destination.

Choose the image and wait for the result. A successful decode means the reader found data; it does not mean the website has been checked for safety or that a message is genuine.

Read the destination as an address

Look at the full website address, including its domain, before opening it. A familiar word somewhere in a long address is not enough to establish who operates the site. HTTPS protects a connection, but the presence of HTTPS alone does not prove that a business or request is legitimate.

If a QR arrives unexpectedly or asks for urgent action, verify the request through a website or contact method you already know. Do not rely on the QR's accompanying claim as the only proof.

Know what this reader does and does not check

The Open this link action is available only for eligible web links. Plain text and other payloads remain data to review. The tool does not open a website in the background to inspect its content, expand every redirect or provide a malware verdict.

An ordinary-looking address can redirect after it is opened. If the destination changes unexpectedly or asks for information unrelated to your task, stop and verify it independently. You can choose to leave the decoded link unopened.

Some codes contain credentials instead of links

A Wi-Fi QR can reveal the network password. An authenticator setup can contain the shared secret used to calculate login codes. These are different from a public website link and should not be pasted into public messages or issue reports.

Authenticator setup results are masked here. Import a supported setup directly into the TOTP tool only for an account you are authorized to manage. When finished, clear both the temporary TOTP session and the original decoded image if you used both tools.

Share a harmless example when troubleshooting

To report a reading problem, try reproducing it with a public example or a replacement image containing dummy information. Include the visible error, browser and steps. Review screenshots carefully: a field may be hidden while another part of the image still contains the same secret.

Clearing a page cannot retract files or clipboard text already shared. Decide whether the result should be copied at all before using Copy or Save text. Local processing reduces uploads by the tool; it does not remove the need to protect copies on your own device.

Sources & further reading

• FTC: Inspect QR links before opening them