Frequently asked questions.
Direct answers to the things people most often want to know about barcode tickets — at the gate, at the airport, or on a train platform.
Using your ticket
Is a screenshot of my barcode ticket valid?
For static codes, yes. A clear, uncropped screenshot scans the same as the original PDF. For rotating or signed codes generated inside the issuer’s app, a screenshot will not work — the code changes every minute or is cryptographically bound to the device.
Can two people enter with the same barcode?
No. The ticket ID is marked as used on the first scan. Every copy after that is rejected, regardless of whether it reached the gate first.
Do I need the issuer’s app to enter?
Only if the issuer uses rotating or app-bound codes, which some flights, sports finals and transit systems do. For most events, any clear copy of a static barcode works — PDF, wallet pass, screenshot, or printed paper.
What happens if I lose signal at the gate?
Venue scanners usually validate offline against a pre-downloaded allow-list, so they do not need your phone to be online. Keep a saved copy of the ticket on your device so you do not have to reload your email.
Can I print a mobile ticket?
Usually yes. Print the PDF, keeping the barcode crisp and the quiet zone (empty margin) intact. At least 2 cm on the short edge is a safe target for 2D codes. Avoid thermal paper — it fades.
Why do my tickets in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet have no barcode?
Many venues use tap-to-enter (NFC) wallet tickets — you hold the phone near the reader instead of scanning a code. Others add the barcode only shortly before the event. See my ticket has no barcode.
Do you sell tickets or handle ticket complaints?
No. Barcode Ticket is an independent reference site, not a ticket agency. For refunds, complaints or a missing ticket, contact the company that sold it to you.
When scanning fails
Why does my ticket not scan from my phone?
Most of the time: screen too dim, cropped image, glare from a screen protector, or the code is framed by too much extra interface. Turn brightness up, keep the code centered, and leave empty margin around it.
What is the text under the barcode for?
It is the ticket ID in human-readable form so staff can type it into the scanner manually if the camera cannot read the code. Never crop it out.
My ticket was in a wallet app and now it is gone — what do I do?
Check your original confirmation email from the issuer — most issuers link the ticket ID to your account and can re-send the pass or let you re-add it. We cannot recover tickets ourselves.
What does “ticket not recognized” mean?
The scanner read the code but couldn't find it among valid tickets — often because the ticket was re-issued or transferred, or a screenshot of a rotating code expired. See scan error messages.
Formats and security
Is a QR code ticket safer than a PDF417 ticket?
Neither is inherently safer. Both are open, published standards. Security comes from how the issuer protects the payload — single-use IDs, cryptographic signatures, and real-time checks against the issuer’s system.
Can someone fake a barcode by guessing the number?
No. Ticket IDs are long random values — the search space is astronomically large. Forgery attempts usually involve copying a real ticket rather than guessing.
How can I read what's inside a ticket barcode?
Scan it with a barcode app (QR codes work in the phone camera; PDF417 and Aztec need a multi-format scanner). Most tickets hold only an ID, but boarding passes contain readable flight data — try our boarding pass decoder.
Why do some tickets refresh every minute?
Rotating codes are a defence against screenshot-based resale. The code is only valid for a short window, so by the time a screenshot is shared, it has expired.