Troubleshooting QR code scanning failures

Futurae supports QR code scanning using the authenticator app as a method for two distinct situations:

Enrollment - Scanning a QR code is one of the available mechanisms to activate a Futurae-powered authenticator app.

Authentication - QR code scanning is also a supported authentication factor used both for login and transaction confirmation.

Considering that scanning a QR code may exceptionally fail, this article describes some of the most common reasons for QR code scanning failures and how to get around them.

Outdated Google Play Services

When the QR code is scanned using an Android device but the approval screen is not displayed, the device’s Google Play Services may be outdated.

Execute the following steps on the Android device to update Google Play Services to the latest version:

1. Execute the steps suggested by Google in the article https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/9037938, in order to update the Google Play Services version
2. Restart the device
3. Re-attempt to scan the QR code

Authenticator app mismatch

Exclusively for enrollment QR codes, the scanning will fail if the user is not operating the authenticator app that the Futurae Service to which they belong, is configured to accept.

When using a Futurae Whitelabel app or the Futurae Mobile SDK, the corresponding Futurae Service will have to be associated with the appropriate SDK configuration, before the authenticator app can be activated with QR codes from users belonging to that Service. If this is the case, please contact our support team at support@futurae.com or at support.futurae.com.

Scanning conditions

Sometimes poor scanning conditions may cause difficulties in scanning the QR code, especially when considering devices with low camera quality.

Below you will find a few recommendations that may help:

1. Ensure that the room has adequate lighting (avoid direct light in the screen in which the QR code is being displayed)
2. Clean the phone’s camera
3. Zoom the QR code to make it more visible, or even print it and try to scan it from the paper

In case that the inability to scan the QR code persists even after following the above recommendations, a few work arounds may be tried:

Activation using URI - When a new enrollment is created, the Futurae backend returns a URI (activation_code_uridescribed in the enroll endpoint). If provided to the user, and assuming that the authenticator app supports activation via URIs, the activation code URI may be opened in the device where the authenticator app is installed, to automatically complete the enrollment. The same work around may be achieved for login and transaction confirmation operations, by using the mobile_auth_uri data returned by the Auth API.

Activation using short code - Another solution to get around a failed enrollment due to QR code scanning problems, is to call the enroll endpoint with the short_code flag enabled. This will result in the Futurae backend returning an alphanumeric activation_code_short, which may then be typed in by the user in the authenticator app, to complete the enrollment.

The short code alternative availability may vary according to the authenticator app used.

Authentication using an alternative factor - If the failure rather happens when scanning a QR code as a method to validate an authentication or transaction, the workaround is to simply select a different factor, while our support team investigates the root cause of the scanning problem. 

For any additional clarification or to report any QR code scanning errors, please describe the issue in a ticket to support@futurae.com or support.futurae.com.