InPost QR Code Won't Scan? How to Fix It
Written by Omair Sao · updated · checked against InPost UK: print-free sending and Vinted help centre: shipping methods · how we check
You are standing at the locker with the parcel and the scanner under the screen will not read the code on your phone. Nine times out of ten it is the phone, not the locker, and the fix takes seconds. This guide works through the fixes in the order that solves most cases, explains how to type the code instead, and covers the rare occasions when the scanner or the code itself is at fault.
The short answer
Turn the screen brightness to maximum, switch off night mode or any blue-light filter, and hold the phone still 10 to 15 cm from the scanner rather than against the glass. If it still will not read, type the code instead: every InPost locker has a keypad option, eBay gives you a six-digit code alongside the QR, and Vinted shows the code under the QR in the app. If the scanner itself is dirty or dead, report the locker in the InPost app and use another; your code works at any InPost locker or InPost Shop.
Fix the screen first
Locker scanners read a pattern of light and dark, and anything that softens the contrast defeats them. Phones auto-dim outdoors and in bright shops, so set brightness to maximum before you approach. Night mode, blue-light filters and 'eye comfort' settings tint the whites yellow; switch them off. A screen protector with a matte finish or a cracked screen scatters the light, and a notification sliding over the top of the code hides part of it. Open the code full-screen in the app and clear notifications first.
Hold it right
The scanner is under the touchscreen. Hold the phone steady about 10 to 15 cm away, face-on, and if the overhead light reflects in your screen tilt the phone a few degrees. Pressing the phone against the glass is the most common mistake; the scanner cannot focus that close. Give it a couple of seconds without moving. Zooming the code slightly larger on screen helps some older scanners.
Type the code instead
If the scanner will not cooperate, the keypad will. Choose the option on the locker screen to enter a code manually. eBay gives you a six-digit code alongside the QR for exactly this purpose; Vinted shows the code beneath the QR on the shipping screen; labels bought in the InPost app have their code in the app. Typing takes ten seconds and is the reliable fallback on bright days, with a cracked screen or when the scanner is scratched.
If the scanner is at fault
A scanner lens covered in rain, condensation or fingerprints will struggle; wipe it with a sleeve. Cold slows both your phone's screen and the scanner, so keep the phone warm until the last moment and bring the brightness up before you take it out. If the screen is dead or the scanner does nothing for anyone, report the locker from its page in the InPost app and go to the next one. Your QR code is not tied to a locker: it works at any of InPost's 16,000-plus lockers and at InPost Shops, where staff scan or type the code for you.
If the code itself is the problem
Marketplace codes do not expire after a day or two. The limits that matter are the dispatch deadlines: five working days on Vinted (extendable if the buyer agrees), seven days for an eBay Simple Delivery label and 30 days for a label bought in the InPost app. If the app says the code is unavailable, open the order again ('Show QR code' on Vinted, the shipping section on eBay) and it normally refreshes. If it stays unavailable, or the locker rejects a code that scans cleanly, the order may have been cancelled or the label voided; contact Vinted or eBay, because the code is generated by the marketplace, not by InPost.
A low-resolution or cropped screenshot can also fail. Screenshots are a good backup for shops with no signal, but take them full-screen with nothing overlapping the code, and use the live code from the app when you can.
Worked example
A Vinted parcel on a sunny afternoon at a car-park locker. The phone has auto-dimmed and night mode is on from the night before, and the scanner shows nothing after ten seconds. Brightness to maximum, night mode off, phone held 12 cm away and tilted out of the sun: it reads on the second try. Had it not, the code printed under the QR in the Vinted app typed on the keypad would have opened the compartment just the same.
Fixes in the order that solves most cases
- 1Set screen brightness to maximum and switch off night mode or any blue-light filter
- 2Open the QR code full-screen in the app and clear any notification covering it
- 3Hold the phone steady 10 to 15 cm from the scanner, face-on, and tilt slightly if the light reflects
- 4Wipe the scanner lens with your sleeve if it is wet or smeared
- 5Choose manual entry on the locker screen and type the code (eBay's six-digit code, or the code under the QR on Vinted)
- 6If the screen or scanner is dead, report the locker in the InPost app and use another locker or an InPost Shop
- 7If the app says the code is unavailable, reopen the order to refresh it, then contact the marketplace if it stays unavailable
Why codes fail to scan
- Screen brightness left on auto, which dims the code in bright surroundings
- Night mode or a blue-light filter tinting the code so the scanner cannot see the contrast
- Pressing the phone against the glass; the scanner needs 10 to 15 cm to focus
- A cracked screen or a matte screen protector scattering the light
- Using a cropped or low-resolution screenshot rather than the live code
Questions sellers ask about this
Why will the InPost locker not read my QR code?
Can I type the code instead of scanning?
Does a screenshot of the QR code work?
The app says my code has expired or is unavailable. What now?
Does cold weather affect the scanner?
Who do I contact if the code will not work at all?
Sources checked for this guide
Figures were checked against these official pages on 6 October 2026. If one of them has changed since, please tell us and we will correct the guide.