What Location settings do
Every dynamic QR code in QRKIT has a Location dialog that bundles two related but independent features:
- Precision GPS tracking— with the scanner's consent, record the exact device coordinates of a scan instead of the approximate city derived from their IP address, and see them on a map in analytics.
- Geofencing — restrict a code to a center point and radius, so it only unlocks for people who are physically on-site. Anyone outside the zone sees a blocked message instead of your destination.
You can turn on either one on its own, or both together. Both are part of the Pro plan and above, and both work with any phone's built-in camera — there is nothing for you or the person scanning to install.
Precision GPS tracking
By default, QRKIT estimates where a scan happened from the visitor's IP address. That is reliable down to roughly city level, which is fine for most campaigns but too coarse when the exact spot matters — which entrance, which shelf, which field site.
When you enable Precision location trackingon a code, the scanner's browser asks for one-tap permission to share their GPS location. If they allow it, QRKIT stores those precise coordinates on the scan and marks it as a GPS-sourced location; if they decline, the scan still works and simply keeps the approximate IP location.
Precise scans appear on the Precise Scan Locationsmap in your QR code's analytics. GPS-sourced points are drawn in blue and approximate IP-derived points in amber, plotted as a heatmap so you can see exactly where engagement is clustering.
Geofencing: restrict scans to a zone
Geofencing turns a QR code into an on-site-only code. You define a circular zone — a center point on a map plus a radius — and QRKIT only releases the code's destination to people who are inside it. Scanners outside the zone get a friendly blocked message that you can customise, and your underlying link is never revealed to them.
The radius can be anywhere from 25 metres to 5 kilometres, and defaults to 100 metres. A tight radius is good for a single room, stand, or doorway; a wider one suits a whole venue, campus, or site.
Common uses are event and venue check-ins, in-store and trade-show promotions that should only work on the floor, construction and field sites, and campus or facility access — anywhere a scan should only count when the person is actually there.
How the geofence gate works
Geofencing is server-verified, so it can't be bypassed by tampering with the page. When someone scans a geofenced code, QRKIT does not redirect them straight away. Instead it shows a brief "Checking your location…" screen and asks the browser for the device's GPS coordinates.
Those coordinates are sent to our server, which recomputes the great-circle distance between the scanner and your zone center and compares it to your radius. Only when the scanner is confirmed insidethe zone does the server release the destination. The redirect URL is never sent to the browser until that check passes — so the gate can't be faked client-side, and a blocked scan can't peek at where the code points.
Because the destination is withheld until you're confirmed on-site, geofencing is best thought of as a way to make a code on-site-only for ordinary visitors, rather than a hard security boundary against a determined attacker who spoofs their device location.
Setting it up
Location settings live on each individual dynamic QR code, not in a global settings page. Open your dashboard, find the code in your list, and open its Location dialog. From there:
- Toggle Precision location tracking on if you want to record exact scan coordinates for analytics.
- Toggle Geofence restriction on to restrict the code to a zone. A map appears, pre-centred near your approximate location so you start close to home.
- Set the zone by dragging the pin on the map or typing a latitude and longitude, then enter a radius in metres (25–5,000).
- Optionally write an out-of-zone message — what someone outside the zone will read instead of your content.
- Choose what happens when a scanner declines the location prompt: block them (the default), or fall back to their approximate IP location for the zone check.
Save, and the code is live immediately — no need to reprint, since the QR image itself never changes.
What scanners experience
For a code with precision tracking only, the scan works exactly as normal — the visitor just sees a one-time browser prompt asking to share their location. Allowing it records a precise point; declining changes nothing about where they go.
For a geofenced code, the visitor sees a short "Checking your location…" screen while the server verifies them. Inside the zone, they continue to your destination as usual. Outside the zone — or if they decline location and you chose to block — they see your out-of-zone message ("Outside the allowed area") instead of the content. If you enabled IP fallback, a declined prompt is checked against their approximate IP location rather than blocked outright.
Accuracy, limits & privacy
- Accuracy. Phone GPS is usually accurate to a few metres outdoors, but can drift indoors, underground, or among tall buildings. Pick a radius with a little buffer rather than the tightest possible circle — the 100-metre default is a sensible starting point.
- Consent first.Precise location is only ever read with the visitor's explicit browser permission. If they decline, tracking falls back to approximate IP, and geofencing either blocks them or uses IP fallback — whichever you configured.
- Blocked scans don't cost you. A scan that is blocked for being out of zone does not count toward your monthly scan usage; only released, in-zone scans are counted.
- One gate per code.A single code can't combine password protection and geofencing yet — choose one for a given code.
Plan availability
Precision GPS tracking and geofencing are available on the Pro plan and above (Pro, Ultra, and Agency). They are not included on Free, Starter, or Plus.
You can create and design QR codes for free, then upgrade to Pro to unlock precise scan locations and zone restrictions. See exactly what each tier includes on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Do people need an app to scan?
No. Geofencing and precision tracking work with any phone's built-in camera. The only extra step is a one-tap browser prompt asking to share location — there is nothing to install for you or the person scanning.
What happens if a scanner denies the location prompt?
For precision tracking, the scan still works and just keeps the approximate IP location. For geofencing, the default is to block them — but you can choose "IP fallback" instead, which checks their approximate IP location against the zone rather than blocking outright.
Can the geofence be faked in the browser?
The inside/outside decision is recomputed on our server from the raw coordinates, and the destination URL is never sent to the browser until the server confirms the scanner is inside the zone — so it can't be bypassed by editing the page. It is designed to keep a code on-site-only for ordinary visitors, not to defeat a determined attacker who spoofs their device GPS at the system level.
Does a blocked, out-of-zone scan use up my scan quota?
No. Scans that are blocked for being outside the zone are not counted toward your monthly scan usage. Only in-zone scans that are released to your destination are counted, and each is counted once.
How accurate is the location?
Phone GPS is typically accurate to a few metres outdoors but can drift indoors or among tall buildings. Choose a radius with some buffer — anywhere from 25 metres to 5 kilometres, with 100 metres as the default.
Can I use precision tracking without geofencing?
Yes — they are independent toggles. You can record precise scan locations without restricting where the code works, restrict scans to a zone, or do both on the same code.
Can I password-protect a geofenced code?
Not at the same time yet. A single code can use either password protection or geofencing, so pick the one that fits that code.
Which plans include this?
Geofencing and precision GPS tracking are on the Pro plan and above (Pro, Ultra, and Agency). Free, Starter, and Plus don't include them.
Ready to map and gate your scans?
Create a dynamic GPS QR code, then turn on precise tracking or restrict it to a zone — all from the code's Location settings.