Imagine a single QR Code that, when scanned by an iPhone, opens the App Store, and when scanned by an Android, opens the Play Store. Or a QR on a product that takes the Brazilian customer to the Portuguese site and the American one to the English site — automatically.

This is conditional redirect (also called "smart redirect" or "conditional QR"). One QR, routing rules, multiple destinations. It's one of the most powerful features of dynamic QR — and few people use it.

This article shows what's possible, the real use cases and how to set it up.

How it works

The QR points to a redirector (code2scan.com/q/abc). When someone scans, the redirector looks at scan characteristics and decides the destination based on rules you define:

  • Operating system: iOS → App Store, Android → Play Store
  • Country / region: Brazil → PT site, US → EN site, default → global site
  • Browser language: pt-BR → Portuguese, es → Spanish
  • Time: business hours → live chat, off hours → form
  • Number of scans: first 100 → coupon, after that → normal page

All this with the same printed physical QR. You change the rules in the dashboard at any time.

Real use cases

📱 App: iOS vs Android (the classic)

You launch an app. You print ONE QR on the flyer/packaging. iPhone → App Store, Android → Play Store. Without conditional redirect, you'd have to print two QRs (and the customer would have to guess which is theirs).

🌍 Multi-language / multi-country site

A product sold in several countries. QR on the packaging → Brazilian customer sees the PT page with prices in reais, Spanish customer sees the ES page with euros. Detects by the device's country/language.

🕐 Time-based routing

Restaurant: QR on the door. Lunchtime → lunch menu. Evening → dinner/drinks menu. Closed → "We're closed, see our hours".

Customer service: business hours → team's WhatsApp. Off hours → "leave your message" form.

🎟️ Limited campaign

QR on a promotion. First 100 scans → exclusive coupon page. After it runs out → normal product page. Creates real urgency.

🔀 A/B test

Half the scans go to landing A, half to landing B. You compare which converts more. (Percentage routing.)

How to set it up

In Code2Scan, use the "Conditional Redirects" type:

  1. Create the dynamic QR with a default destination (fallback).
  2. Add rules in order of priority. Example for an app:
    • If OS = iOS → apps.apple.com/your-app
    • If OS = Android → play.google.com/your-app
    • Otherwise (desktop) → app's web page
  3. Save. The QR already routes according to the rules.
  4. Adjust whenever you want — the rules are editable without reprinting the QR.

Order matters: the redirector tests the rules from top to bottom and uses the first that matches. Always have a fallback (default destination) for when no rule applies.

What the redirector can (and can't) detect

Can (without asking permission, via browser headers):

  • Operating system and device type (mobile/desktop)
  • Approximate country (via IP)
  • Browser's preferred language
  • Time of scan
  • Browser

Can't (without the user explicitly allowing):

  • Exact GPS location
  • The person's identity
  • Personal data

In other words: the targeting is by technical characteristics of the access, not by personal data. Privacy preserved.

Tracking along with it

Since it's a dynamic QR, besides routing, it records each scan with the info used in the decision. You see in the dashboard: how many scans from iOS vs Android, from which countries, at which times. How dynamic QR tracking works.

Common mistakes

❌ Forgetting the fallback

If no rule matches and there's no default destination, the scan "dies". Always set a fallback.

❌ Poorly ordered conflicting rules

If the "all → global site" rule comes before "iOS → App Store", the first always wins and the second never runs. Order from most specific to most general.

❌ Not testing each path

Test with iPhone, Android and desktop before publishing. The 10 common QR mistakes.

❌ Country detection as the only security

IP geolocation is approximate (VPN, roaming fool it). Don't use it for anything critical — only to improve the experience, with a sensible fallback.

Summary

Conditional redirect turns one physical QR into multiple smart destinations:

  1. iOS vs Android (App Store / Play Store)
  2. Country / language (the right site automatically)
  3. Time (menu/service according to the hour)
  4. Scan limit (campaign with urgency)
  5. A/B test (percentage)

All editable in the dashboard, without reprinting. It's dynamic QR taken to the next level.

Create a QR with conditional redirect — rules by OS, country, time and more.