Privacy and security
Two separate questions people arrive with, and they have different answers. What we can see about the codes you make is one; whether a code someone else made is safe to scan is the other.
Privacy & Security
Does ScanMe Online store or see the content of my QR codes?
For static codes: no. Generation happens in your browser: the content is encoded to an image locally and is not sent to Androrangers servers. Your recent codes live only in your own browser’s history. For dynamic codes the destination URL is necessarily stored on our servers (that is what makes it editable), along with your saved design. Smart IDs make that trade on purpose: a digital business card, pet ID or vehicle ID is a profile saved on our servers, because the reason to print one is that you can change what it says afterwards and whoever scans the tag sees the current version rather than the version you printed. You decide which fields each profile shows to a stranger, and you can delete a profile at any time. The scanner likewise decodes locally and uploads nothing.
Does the ScanMe Online website itself use analytics or cookies?
Yes. The website uses Google Analytics (Firebase Analytics / GA4) to understand aggregate site usage, which sets Google cookies, and it may display Google AdSense advertising. In the EEA, UK and Switzerland, analytics and advertising stay off until you consent via the cookie banner; elsewhere they run by default and you can opt out any time via the Cookie Settings button in the footer. The site also stores functional data locally: your theme choice, generation history and color history. Full details are in the Cookie and Advertising Disclosure.
Where can I read the Privacy Policy and related documents?
Two documents, split by what they describe rather than by product. The Privacy Policy covers the ScanMe Android app in Sections 1 to 19, and its Section 20 covers everything the website stores on our servers — an optional account, dynamic QR codes and their scan statistics, digital business cards, pet IDs, vehicle IDs, and details visitors send you through a card, pet tag or vehicle sticker. The Cookie and Advertising Disclosure covers what happens in your browser instead: cookies, local storage, Google Analytics and advertising. Both sit in the footer of every page beside the Terms of Service.
Are the QR codes I generate private?
The generation process is private, because static codes are built in your browser without uploading content. But the finished QR code itself is not encrypted: anyone who can see and scan it can read everything in it. Never encode passwords, private keys or sensitive personal data in a code you will display publicly. For Wi-Fi codes, remember the network password is readable by anyone who scans.
Can QR codes contain malware? Is scanning dangerous?
A QR code itself cannot infect your phone; it is only data. The risk is where it leads: a code can point to a phishing site or a malicious download, and criminals sometimes stick fraudulent codes over legitimate ones. Protect yourself by previewing URLs before opening (the ScanMe scanner always shows the destination first and never auto-opens links), being wary of codes in untrusted public places, and checking that a sticker has not been placed over the original.
How can I verify where a QR code leads before opening it?
Scan it with a scanner that previews the result. The ScanMe Online scanner displays the full decoded URL and only opens it when you press the button. Read the domain carefully (watch for lookalikes such as paypa1.com), be cautious with shortened links from unknown sources, and if in doubt, type the organization’s address manually instead. ScanMe dynamic links always begin with scanmeonline.com/r/.
What data is associated with my account?
Sign-in identity (email address, verified status, optional display name and — for Google sign-in — profile photo), your workspace, and your dynamic QR codes: their names, destinations, designs and anonymized scan statistics. Passwords are handled by Google Firebase Authentication; ScanMe never sees or stores your password. Sign-in state is kept in your browser only while you stay signed in.