Help & Troubleshooting

Something not working?
Let's fix it fast.

interACT runs entirely in your phone's browser — no app required. Most issues are camera permission problems that take under two minutes to fix. Find your situation below.

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The fastest fix for 80% of issues
On iPhone: Close your current browser and open interactforreal.com in Safari instead.
On Android: Open interactforreal.com in Chrome and allow camera access when prompted.
Safari on iPhone and Chrome on Android have the most reliable camera access. If you're using anything else, switch first.
Common issue
Occasional issue
Rare issue
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iPhone (iOS)
Safari recommended · Chrome and other browsers supported
Camera won't start or permission prompt never appeared
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"The camera button does nothing" · "I never got asked for camera permission" · "It just shows a black screen"
Fix — Check iOS Settings
  1. Open your iPhone's Settings app (grey gear icon on your home screen)
  2. Scroll down and tap your browser name — Safari, Chrome, or whichever you're using
  3. Tap Camera
  4. Make sure it's set to Allow — not "Ask" or "Deny"
  5. Go back to interactforreal.com and tap Scan Someone's Code again
Tip: If you're using Chrome, Firefox, or any browser other than Safari on iPhone, the easiest fix is to just switch to Safari. Apple restricts camera access on third-party browsers in ways it doesn't restrict its own.
Using Chrome on iPhone — camera access keeps failing
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"I allowed it but it still won't work" · "Chrome says camera is on but nothing happens"
Fix — Switch to Safari (fastest)
  1. Press the Home button or swipe up to leave Chrome
  2. Find Safari on your home screen (blue compass icon) — or search for it by swiping down on your home screen
  3. Type interactforreal.com in the address bar
  4. Tap Scan Someone's Code — allow camera access when Safari asks
Alternative Fix — Reset Chrome's Camera Permission
  1. In Chrome, tap the three dots at the bottom right of the screen
  2. Tap Settings → Content Settings → Camera
  3. Find interactforreal.com and delete it from the list
  4. Return to interactforreal.com — Chrome will ask for camera permission fresh
  5. Tap Allow
Why this happens: On iPhone, Apple requires Chrome, Firefox, and every other browser to use Safari's engine underneath. Camera permissions can conflict between iOS Settings and Chrome's own layer. Safari skips this problem entirely because it controls both.
Camera opens but won't scan the QR code
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"I can see myself on camera but nothing happens when I point it at the code" · "The scanner just spins"
Fix — Scanning Tips
  1. Distance: Hold your phone 6–12 inches from the QR code — not too close, not too far. The sweet spot is about the length of your hand.
  2. Steadiness: Hold still for 1–2 seconds. The scanner needs a moment to read the code.
  3. Lighting: Make sure the QR code is well lit. Direct glare on a phone screen can prevent scanning — tilt the screen slightly to reduce reflection.
  4. Cleanliness: If scanning a printed QR code, make sure it isn't crumpled, torn, or wet.
  5. Size: The QR code on the other person's phone should fill roughly half the scanning frame for best results.
Permission was denied and now the prompt won't come back
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"I accidentally tapped Don't Allow and now I can't get it back" · "There's no button to re-allow camera"
Fix — Re-enable via iOS Settings
  1. Open Settings on your iPhone
  2. Scroll down to your browser (Safari, Chrome, etc.) and tap it
  3. Tap Camera and set it to Allow
  4. Return to interactforreal.com — the scanner should now work without asking again
Safari alternative: In Settings → Safari → scroll to "Settings for Websites" → tap Camera → set to Allow.
Page loads but looks broken or won't scroll
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"The screen looks garbled" · "Buttons don't respond" · "It loaded but nothing works"
Fix — Clear Cache and Reload
  1. In Safari: tap the Reload button (circular arrow in the address bar)
  2. If that doesn't work, close the tab completely and open a fresh one
  3. If still broken: go to Settings → Safari → Clear History and Website Data and reload
  4. Still broken? Try a different browser or a different WiFi/cellular connection
My QR code won't generate or shows a broken image
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"I tapped Show My QR Code but nothing appeared" · "There's a broken image icon instead of my code"
Fix — Connection Issue
  1. Your QR code is generated by an external service — it requires an internet connection
  2. Check that you have WiFi or cellular data
  3. If you're on venue WiFi, try switching to cellular data instead — some venue networks block external image services
  4. Reload the page and tap Show My QR Code again
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Android
Chrome recommended · Samsung Internet and Firefox supported
Camera permission denied or prompt didn't appear
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"I never got asked for camera access" · "It says permission denied" · "Camera won't open"
Fix — Reset Site Permission in Chrome
  1. In Chrome, tap the three dots (top right corner)
  2. Tap Settings → Site Settings → Camera
  3. Find interactforreal.com and tap it
  4. Change Camera permission to Allow
  5. Go back to interactforreal.com and tap Scan Someone's Code
Alternative — Check Android System Settings
  1. Go to your phone's Settings → Apps → Chrome
  2. Tap Permissions → Camera
  3. Set to Allow only while using the app
  4. Return to Chrome and try again
Using Samsung Internet browser — camera not working
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"I'm on a Samsung phone and the scanner won't open"
Fix — Switch to Chrome (fastest)
  1. Open the Google Play Store and confirm Chrome is installed (it usually is)
  2. Open Chrome and go to interactforreal.com
  3. Tap Scan Someone's Code and allow camera access when Chrome asks
Alternative — Fix Samsung Internet Permissions
  1. In Samsung Internet, tap the menu icon (three lines, bottom right)
  2. Tap Settings → Sites and Downloads → Site Permissions → Camera
  3. Make sure it's enabled
  4. Go back and try scanning again
Camera opens but QR code won't scan
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"Camera is working but it won't read the code" · "The scanning line moves but nothing happens"
Fix — Scanning Tips
  1. Distance: 6–12 inches from the QR code is the sweet spot
  2. Lighting: Make sure the code is well lit — avoid scanning in direct bright sunlight or a very dark room
  3. Glare: If scanning someone's phone screen, ask them to tilt it slightly to reduce screen glare
  4. Focus: Tap on the QR code in your camera view to force focus if it seems blurry
  5. Steadiness: Hold still for 1–2 seconds — the scanner needs a moment to lock on
Another app is using the camera
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"It says camera is in use by another app" · "Camera access conflict"
Fix — Close Other Camera Apps
  1. Swipe up (or tap the square button) to see all open apps
  2. Close your camera app, video call apps (Zoom, Teams, FaceTime), and any other apps that use the camera
  3. Return to interactforreal.com in Chrome and try scanning again
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All Devices
Issues that happen on any phone or browser
I scanned someone but got a "you can't scan yourself" message
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"It said I scanned myself" · "We both got the same message"
What's Happening
  1. interACT assigns you a unique ID the first time you visit. If two people used the same phone or same browser session, they may have the same ID.
  2. Fix: Each person needs to open interactforreal.com in their own browser on their own device.
  3. If you're sharing a phone to test, use a private/incognito window for one person — this gives them a fresh ID.
The page is asking me to download an app
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"It redirected me to the App Store" · "I see a download prompt"
What's Happening
  1. interACT does not have an app — it runs entirely in your browser. No download is ever needed.
  2. If you're seeing an app download prompt, you may have scanned a different QR code by accident.
  3. Make sure you're at interactforreal.com — check the address bar at the top of your browser.
  4. If the URL looks different, go back and scan the QR code again.
The page loaded once but now it's showing an old version
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"It looks different than it did a minute ago" · "My scan count reset to zero"
Fix — Hard Reload
  1. Your browser may have cached an old version of the page.
  2. iPhone Safari: Tap and hold the reload button → tap Reload Without Content Blockers
  3. Android Chrome: Tap the three dots → tap Reload
  4. If your scan count reset, don't worry — your interactions are already recorded in the event system. The count display is stored locally and will rebuild as you scan.
I'm on venue WiFi and nothing is loading properly
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"It worked on my home WiFi but not here" · "The QR code won't generate at the venue"
Fix — Switch to Cellular Data
  1. Some venue WiFi networks block external services or have bandwidth limitations that affect interACT.
  2. Turn off WiFi on your phone: Settings → WiFi → toggle off
  3. Use your cellular data connection instead
  4. Reload interactforreal.com — everything should work normally
Note: interACT uses very little data — less than a typical webpage. Running it on cellular for a few hours won't make a meaningful dent in your data plan.
My browser is too old and the camera won't work at all
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"Nothing works no matter what I try" · "I have an older phone"
Fix — Update Your Browser
  1. interACT requires a browser that supports modern camera APIs — any browser updated in the last 3–4 years will work fine.
  2. iPhone: Go to Settings → General → Software Update. Updating iOS also updates Safari.
  3. Android: Open the Google Play Store → tap your profile icon → Manage Apps → find Chrome → Update if available.
  4. If your device is very old (iPhone 6 or earlier, Android 7 or earlier), the camera API may not be supported. Find a team member and they can help you participate.

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