Official feature explained
New Balance QR Code and Tongue Label Authenticity Check Explained
How New Balance's tongue label QR code works on shoes made from May 2025, how to scan it and compare the microsite, what a result means, and its limits.
Quick answer
New Balance says that starting in May 2025 it is replacing the data matrix on shoe tongue labels with a QR code. Scanning it should open a microsite, where you compare the sizing and other details with the shoe. New Balance says a code that opens a store or other website means the shoe is not authentic. Earlier pairs cannot be self-checked, and a printed code can be copied, so treat a match as supporting context.
Buyers ask whether New Balance shoes have a QR code, where it is and what a scan shows. This guide explains what New Balance says the tongue label QR code does, how to use it, what a result means and does not mean, and why it supports a review rather than replacing one.
What New Balance says the QR code check is
New Balance's counterfeit page says that, starting in May 2025, it is replacing the data matrix on its shoe tongue labels with a QR code. It says the code resolves to a microsite that lets you self-authenticate your shoes.
New Balance frames the page around making sure the footwear and apparel you buy is actually made by New Balance. It does not describe a way for buyers to check the older data matrix, and it says shoes made before May 2025 cannot be self-authenticated.
Where to find the tongue label and QR code
The QR code is printed on the shoe's tongue label, where earlier production carried a data matrix instead. New Balance says a shoe without a tongue label is not authentic, so a missing, cut or replaced label is a serious reason to stop and ask questions.
New Balance ties the change to when a shoe was manufactured, so a pair made before May 2025 will not have the QR code even if it was sold new later. A recent receipt does not by itself mean the pair was made recently.
- Photograph the tongue label flat, in focus and without glare
- Show the label and the rest of the shoe in one continuous video
- Note whether the label carries a QR code or an older code
- Photograph the box label for comparison
How New Balance says to use it
New Balance's instructions are short: scan the QR code, follow the link to the microsite, and compare the sizing and other information shown there with the physical shoe.
Its counterfeit page does not print the microsite's web address. New Balance runs an authentication page at authenticate.newbalance.com, titled New Balance Authentication, which asks you to compare your product with details that include size in several systems, a width and a style number.
- Scan the code with your phone camera or a QR reader
- Before trusting the page, read the web address in the browser bar
- Compare each size shown with the size on the shoe and the listing
- Compare the width and style number with the labels, the box and the listing
- Screen-record the scan from the label to the result for your records
What a match or a mismatch means
New Balance says that if the information on the microsite matches the physical characteristics of the shoe, the shoe is authentic. It also says that if the code resolves to an e-commerce site or any other website, even a legitimate New Balance-owned one, the shoe is not authentic.
A QR code is printed on a label, and a printed code can be photographed and reproduced on another label. A match shows that the code opens New Balance's page with details that agree with the pair, so the materials, construction, labels, box and seller's evidence still need to agree as well.
A mismatch in size, width or style number, or a code that opens the wrong kind of page, is a reason to stop, ask the seller and get a closer review before paying.
Code will not scan, no QR code, older or secondhand pairs
If a code will not scan, improve the lighting, hold the phone steady a little farther away and try again; a worn or damaged label may not read at all. A failed scan is a reason for closer review, not a verdict on its own.
A pair made before May 2025 will not have the QR code, and New Balance says it cannot be self-authenticated. That is expected for earlier production and is not a sign of a fake by itself.
For secondhand pairs, ask the seller for a screen recording of the scan made on the pair itself, together with clear photos of the tongue label, box label, insoles and outsoles.
How the QR code fits a complete review
Use the QR result alongside the exact model, version, colorway, size, materials, midsole, outsole, labels, box and where the pair was sold. It carries the most weight when all of these agree.
New Balance says gear bought from newbalance.com, joesnewbalanceoutlet.com and its authorized athletic footwear retailers is backed by its satisfaction guarantee, and that counterfeits@newbalance.com is for reports only and cannot answer authentication requests. For an independent second opinion, Vereev reviews complete photo sets and is not affiliated with New Balance.
Common questions
What readers ask about this topic
Do New Balance shoes have a QR code?
Shoes made from May 2025 do. New Balance says it is replacing the data matrix on its shoe tongue labels with a QR code that resolves to a microsite for self-authentication, and that shoes made earlier will not have it.
How do I use the New Balance QR code to check my shoes?
Scan the code on the tongue label, follow the link to the microsite and compare the sizing and other information shown with the physical shoe. Read the web address that opens before trusting the page.
What does it mean if the QR code opens a New Balance store page?
New Balance says that if the code resolves to an e-commerce site or any other website, even a legitimate New Balance-owned one, the shoe is not authentic. Stop and ask the seller questions before paying.
Why do my New Balance shoes not have a QR code?
New Balance says shoes manufactured before May 2025 will not have the QR code and cannot be self-authenticated. A missing QR code on an earlier pair is expected, but New Balance says a shoe with no tongue label at all is not authentic.
Can New Balance authenticate my shoes by email?
No. New Balance says counterfeits@newbalance.com is for reporting counterfeits only and that it cannot respond to requests to authenticate products.
Sources and evidence
How this guide was researched
Vereev separates official brand information, established secondary references, first-party product information, and general buyer-safety guidance. Sources support context, not an authenticity verdict for an unseen item.
- New Balance official counterfeit products page (US)
Official brand source
- New Balance official counterfeit products page (UK)
Official brand source
- New Balance official authentication page
Official brand source
Read the full Vereev research methodology or request a correction.
Continue your research
Item-level review
Authenticate with Vereev
Use the guide to collect clear evidence, then submit the exact item through Vereev when you need an authentication result and digital certificate.
Vereev is an independent authentication service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by New Balance. Educational guidance cannot replace an item-level review.