Introduction

One of the most common concerns about QR tags is privacy. “If I put my phone number on a public scan page, anyone who scans it can have my number.” Private Mode on ScanItUp resolves this entirely. Here is exactly how it works.

What Is Private Mode?

Private Mode is a Pro feature that hides all personal contact details — including your phone number and email address — from the public scan page. A person who scans your QR tag will see that the tag is active and has a message form, but will not see any personal information.

If My Details Are Hidden, How Does Anyone Reach Me?

Through ScanItUp’s built-in message form. The finder types their name, their phone number, and a short message. That message is delivered to you via:

  • Your ScanItUp dashboard (in-app notification)
  • Email to your registered address
  • WhatsApp message to your number (Pro plan)

You can then choose to reply to them via WhatsApp using their number — but they never see your number unless you choose to share it in your reply.

Who Should Use Private Mode?

Private Mode is especially useful for:

  • Women who are concerned about sharing their phone number publicly
  • Vehicle owners who do not want their number visible to strangers on the street
  • Business owners who want customer enquiries routed through a managed system
  • Anyone who values privacy but still needs to be contactable in an emergency

What Happens in a Genuine Emergency?

In a true emergency — a found pet, a vehicle incident, a lost child — the message form is fast and effective. The finder types a short message, hits send, and you receive a WhatsApp notification within seconds (Pro plan). You can call them back immediately.

In most emergency scenarios, the few-second delay of composing a message makes no practical difference to the outcome. Your safety and privacy are preserved throughout.

How to Enable Private Mode

Private Mode is available on the Pro plan. When creating or editing a tag, simply toggle the “Private” option to on. The change takes effect immediately — the scan page will no longer display any personal information.

Conclusion

Privacy and contactability are not mutually exclusive. Private Mode lets you have both — a fully functional QR tag that keeps your personal details completely hidden while still enabling instant, reliable contact in any situation.

Enable Private Mode on your Pro tag at scanitup.com.