If the app says it doesn't know your tag — or the scanner just sits there and nothing happens — don't worry, this is usually the camera or the wrong code rather than a faulty tag.
Jump to:
- "QR Tag not recognised"
- Nothing happens when I scan
- The camera won't open
- Other messages you might see
"QR Tag not recognised"
The full message is: "We couldn't find this code in our system. Make sure you scanned an official Ask A Vet tag."
This means the app read a code, but it isn't one we have a record of. Try this:
- Check it's an Ask A Vet tag. The scanner only accepts our own tags.
- Clean the tag and make sure nothing is covering part of the code — mud, scratches or a collar strap across the corner are enough to change what's read.
- Improve the conditions. Good light, no glare, hold the phone steady about a hand's width away, and keep the whole code inside the frame.
- Try again in a moment. If it still fails, contact us and include the characters printed on the tag. Every attempt is recorded with the exact code that was tried, so we can look yours up. [CONFIRM: support contact channel and hours for QR tag issues]
Nothing happens when I scan
The scanner deliberately ignores any QR code that isn't an Ask A Vet pet tag, and it does it silently — no error, no beep, nothing. So a Wi-Fi QR code, a restaurant menu code or a shipping label will simply never register.
When the app does read your tag, your phone vibrates briefly and shows you the code it found. If that doesn't happen, it hasn't read an Ask A Vet tag yet.
Tip: You can check a tag with your phone's normal camera app. A genuine Ask A Vet tag points to an address beginning tag.askavet.com followed by a short code — the codes we print are six characters long.
The camera won't open
The scanner needs permission to use your camera. On iOS you'll be asked with: "The app requires access to your camera to scan QR tags and take photos for chatting with veterinarians."
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| "We need access to your camera to scan your QR tag." | Tap Grant Camera Access. |
| "Camera access is turned off. Open Settings to enable it." | Tap Open Settings, then switch the camera permission on for the Ask A Vet app and return to the scanner. |
| "No camera is available on this device." | Activate the tag from a phone that has a camera. |
Other messages you might see
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| "We couldn't find a matching QR tag. It may be inactive or invalid." | Same cause as QR Tag not recognised — contact us with the code. |
| "This QR tag has been deactivated." | The tag was switched off. If it's yours, reactivate it from Settings → Manage QR tags. |
| "Something went wrong checking this QR tag. Please try again." | A temporary hiccup. Wait a moment and scan again. |
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