Do QR codes expire?
A static QR code never expires. The link or text is stored in the pattern itself, so it works for as long as the page it points to exists. A dynamic code is different: it points to a short link run by the company that made it, and it only works while they keep that link running.
Why some QR codes stop working
Many generators make dynamic codes by default, often without saying so. The code scans fine while you are on a free trial or a paid plan. When the trial ends or you stop paying, the short link is switched off or redirected to an ad, and every printed copy breaks at once.
Other reasons a code stops working have nothing to do with expiry:
- The page it points to was moved or deleted.
- A shared file or form was made private.
- The print is damaged, too small or low in contrast. See QR code not scanning.
How to tell if your code is static or dynamic
- Scan it with your phone camera and look at the address it shows before you open it.
- If it shows your own website, form or profile, it is static and will not expire.
- If it shows a short link on the QR company's domain, it is dynamic and depends on that company.
How to get a code that keeps working
- If the link will never change, use a static code. Ours are free, have no watermark and never expire.
- If you may need to change the link after printing, use an editable code. Ours cost $12 once. If you ever cancel a plan, your editable codes keep sending people to the last link you set; you just cannot change it until you come back.
- Before you print hundreds of copies, check the terms of the generator you use for what happens when you stop paying.