WhatsApp and Discord corrupted QR Codes - Fixed!

Introduction

If your WhatsApp Desktop, WhatsApp Web or Discord app's QR codes are corrupt, like this:

You should temporarily:

• Browser: disable hardware acceleration
• Desktop app: run in compatibility mode

This will fix QR codes, long enough to authenticate you.  Once you have used the code, you can put the browser/app shortcut back as you found it.

Chrome fix

1. Go to Settings / Advanced and toggle "User hardware acceleration when available" to off (see below).
2. Restart Chrome
3. Go to WhatsApp web and use the (now non-corrupt) QR code
4. Go back to settings and re-enable hardware acceleration
5. Restart Chrome
6. Go back to WhatsApp web - you should still be logged in

App shortcut fix

1. Find the WhatsApp/Discord shortcut.  This will probably be in: C:\Users\<YOUR USERNAME HERE>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\<App name>
2. Right click on the file and select properties
3. Click on the "Compatibility" tab.
4. Select the Checkbox and select "Windows 7" in the dropdown
5. Leave the properties open and click Apply
6. Run WhatsApp / Discord.  The QR code should work fine now.
7. As soon as you have scanned the code, uncheck the checkbox in the properties dialog and click OK.
8. Restart the app.