How to use the QR Glare Risk Checker
How this checker works
Glare happens when light reflects off the code surface into the camera, washing out the dark and light modules the scanner needs to tell apart. Two factors dominate: how reflective the surface is, and where the light sits relative to the viewer. This checker scores those two factors and turns the total into a verdict with the mitigation that fits.
What makes glare worse
Glossy lamination, glass, and metal reflect light in a tight beam, so a small change in viewing angle can flip a code from readable to unreadable. Low sun and windows behind the viewer are the worst lighting, because the reflection travels straight back toward the camera. Matte surfaces scatter the light instead, which is why they are the first fix.
Checking the result in the real world
Test a printed proof in the real spot at the worst time of day, not the best. Stand where viewers stand, scan with an ordinary phone, and move a step in each direction — glare often appears and disappears within a few degrees. If the code fails at any likely viewing position, change the finish or the position rather than hoping viewers find the one good angle.