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Update didn't go through

You sent an email with a PDF attached and the QR code still shows the old menu. Run through this checklist — one of them is almost always the culprit.

1. Did you send from an authorized address?

Updates only go through if the From address is on the code's authorized senders list. That includes:

  • Your own sign-in email (always authorized)
  • Anyone you've invited as an authorized sender and who has clicked their verification link

Check the authorized senders list on the code's page in the dashboard. If a sender is listed as pending, they need to click their verification link first.

2. Is the PDF actually attached?

This catches more updates than anything else, especially with Gmail + Google Drive and Outlook + OneDrive. Those services love to attach your PDF as a link to a cloud file instead of the file itself. Our system can't follow links — it needs the real file.

The detailed fix is in Attaching from Drive or OneDrive. Short version:

  • Gmail / Google Drive: when attaching, pick Insert as Attachment, not Insert as Drive Link.
  • Outlook / OneDrive: pick Attach, not Share link.

3. Is the file under 20 MB?

20 MB is the cap. If your PDF is bigger:

  • Easy fix: export the PDF "for web" or "with reduced quality" from whatever made it. Usually drops the file size 80% with no visible quality loss.
  • Online compressor: tools like Adobe's Compress PDF, Smallpdf, or iLovePDF all shrink PDFs in a browser. Aim for under 5 MB.

4. Is it actually a PDF?

The update system only accepts .pdf files. JPG, PNG, DOCX, Pages files — none of those work. If your menu is a Word doc or Pages file, export as PDF first.

5. Are you scanning right after sending?

The update is usually live within a minute or two but isn't instant. Wait 60 seconds, then scan again.

6. Are you seeing a cached old menu?

Browsers and phones cache PDFs aggressively. If you're scanning from the same phone you've scanned the old menu from many times, you might be seeing a cached copy. Try:

  • Close the PDF and re-scan
  • Open a private / incognito tab and scan
  • Scan from a different phone

The new PDF is on our servers regardless of what your phone shows.

Still stuck?

Send us a note with:

  • Your code's friendly name (or the update address)
  • The time you sent the update
  • The "From" address you sent it from

That's enough for us to find it on our end and tell you what happened.