diff --git a/frontend/internal/handlers/tag_page.go b/frontend/internal/handlers/tag_page.go
index 260836b..00ebe1f 100644
--- a/frontend/internal/handlers/tag_page.go
+++ b/frontend/internal/handlers/tag_page.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 type publicData struct {
 	UpdatedAt   pgtype.Timestamptz
+	Preview     bool
 	ID          int64
 	TagCode     string
 	Status      string
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ func (a *App) PublicTag(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	pd := publicData{
+		Preview:     r.URL.Query().Get("preview") == "1",
 		UpdatedAt:   tag.UpdatedAt,
 		ID:          tag.ID,
 		TagCode:     tag.TagCode,
diff --git a/frontend/templates/tag-edit.html b/frontend/templates/tag-edit.html
index efb2075..9360609 100644
--- a/frontend/templates/tag-edit.html
+++ b/frontend/templates/tag-edit.html
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         <div>
           <input type="file" name="photo" accept="image/*" class="text-sm" onchange="var f=this.files[0]; if(f){ var p=document.getElementById('photo-preview'); p.classList.remove('hidden'); var r=new FileReader(); r.onload=function(e){ p.src=e.target.result; }; r.readAsDataURL(f); }">
           <p class="mt-1 text-xs text-stone-500">Choose a photo and press Save. If you choose nothing, the current photo is kept.</p>
-      <p class="mt-2"><a href="/t/{{.Data.TagCode}}" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="text-xs text-amber-600 hover:underline">👁 View the live tag page</a></p>
+      <p class="mt-2"><a href="/t/{{.Data.TagCode}}?preview=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="text-xs text-amber-600 hover:underline">👁 Preview the tag page (no scan)</a></p>
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/frontend/templates/tag-public.html b/frontend/templates/tag-public.html
index ee7b6e1..f06ea11 100644
--- a/frontend/templates/tag-public.html
+++ b/frontend/templates/tag-public.html
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@
     </div>
   {{else}}
     <div class="overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-stone-200 bg-white shadow-sm">
-      <div class="bg-stone-900 px-6 py-5 text-white">
+      {{if .Data.Preview}}
+        <div class="bg-amber-400 px-6 py-2 text-center text-xs font-bold text-stone-900">👁 PREVIEW — this is how the page looks to a finder (scan functionality disabled)</div>
+        {{end}}
+        <div class="bg-stone-900 px-6 py-5 text-white">
         <h1 class="text-2xl font-bold">
           {{if .Data.ItemType.Valid}}{{.Data.ItemType.String | title}}{{else}}Item{{end}} — found!
         </h1>
@@ -71,12 +74,15 @@
           {{end}}
         </dl>
 
+        {{if not .Data.Preview}}
         <div class="mt-4 rounded border border-amber-200 bg-amber-50 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-amber-800">
           <p><strong>Help the owner find it:</strong> sharing your location sends them a map link. No location? No problem — the page still works.</p>
           <button id="recheck-btn" type="button" class="mt-2 rounded bg-amber-500 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-stone-900 hover:bg-amber-400">📍 Re-check my location</button>
           <p id="location-shared" class="hidden mt-2 text-xs font-medium text-green-700">✓ Location shared — the owner has been sent a map link.</p>
         </div>
+        {{end}}
 
+        {{if not .Data.Preview}}
         <div id="contact-area" class="mt-4" x-data="{ phone: '', get valid() { return /^[0-9+ ]{8,16}$/.test(this.phone.trim()); } }">
           <form hx-post="/t/{{.Data.TagCode}}/contact" hx-target="#contact-area" hx-swap="innerHTML" class="flex gap-2" @submit.prevent="if(!valid) return; $el.requestSubmit()">
             <input type="hidden" name="fingerprint" value="">
@@ -86,6 +92,7 @@
           </form>
           <p x-show="phone && !valid" class="mt-1 text-xs text-red-600">Enter a valid phone number (8–16 digits, e.g. 0423 274 487).</p>
         </div>
+        {{end}}
 
         {{if .Data.IsOwner}}
         <p class="mt-4 text-center text-sm"><a href="/account/tags/{{.Data.ID}}/edit" class="text-amber-600 hover:underline">✏️ Edit this tag's details</a></p>
@@ -93,6 +100,7 @@
       </div>
     </div>
 
+    {{if not .Data.Preview}}
     <script>
       (function () {
         var code = {{.Data.TagCode | printf "%q"}};
@@ -137,6 +145,7 @@
         tryLocation();
       })();
     </script>
+    {{end}}
   {{end}}
 </div>
 {{end}}