How can I tell if my QR code will expire?

Scan it here and look at the address. If it goes through a dynamic QR code service or a link shortener, it works only while that service keeps the link. If it is a direct link to your own website, or holds its data directly like a Wi-Fi code, it does not depend on any service.

Why did my QR code stop working?

Most often it was a dynamic code and the service switched off the redirect, usually when a trial or a paid plan ended. Other causes: the website itself moved or went offline, or the print is too small, damaged or low in contrast.

Can I get a deactivated code working again?

Only the service that issued the short link can switch it back on, usually by renewing the plan. You cannot change where an already printed code points. What you can do is make a new static code and cover the old one with a sticker.

The checker says “direct link”. Will it work forever?

The code does not depend on any QR code service, so nobody can deactivate it. It keeps working as long as the website at that address keeps the page. Some QR services also let customers use their own domain; the checker cannot recognise those, so if you paid a QR service for the code, check how it was set up.

Do you open the link to check it?

No. The checker reads the address in the code and compares its domain with a built-in list. Nothing is uploaded, opened or sent. That is also why it cannot tell you where a short link leads: you enter the real destination yourself.

Do Wi-Fi and contact card codes expire?

No. Wi-Fi, contact card, text and similar codes hold their data directly, so they don’t depend on any service. A Wi-Fi code stops working only when you change the network name or password.

QR code expiry checker

Scan a code or upload a photo of it. The checker shows the address inside and whether it goes through a QR code service that can switch it off. It runs on your device.

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Static or dynamic?

A static code holds the link or the data itself. Nothing sits between the phone and the destination, so the code cannot expire. It works as long as the website it points to keeps the page.

A dynamic code holds a short link on a QR code service’s domain. Each scan goes to that service first, which forwards it to the real address. The owner can change the destination later, but the code works only while the service keeps the redirect switched on. Many services switch it off when a free trial or a subscription ends, and the scan lands on a “deactivated” page instead.

Link shorteners work the same way: the code depends on the shortener keeping the link.

Your QR code stopped working? Fix it in three steps

Check the codeScan it above or upload a photo. The checker shows the address in the code and tells you if it goes through a known QR code service or link shortener.
Make a permanent codeMake a new static code with the real destination: the address of your own website, menu or page. The link is stored in the code itself, so no service can switch it off.
Cover the old codeYou don’t have to reprint everything. In the Print dialog choose “Cover-up sticker”, enter the width of the old code, and print stickers a few millimetres larger. Stick one over each old code so that none of it shows.

Make a permanent code

Test one printed sticker with a phone before you cover all the old codes. How big should a QR code be?

Questions

How can I tell if my QR code will expire?: Scan it here and look at the address. If it goes through a dynamic QR code service or a link shortener, it works only while that service keeps the link. If it is a direct link to your own website, or holds its data directly like a Wi-Fi code, it does not depend on any service.
Why did my QR code stop working?: Most often it was a dynamic code and the service switched off the redirect, usually when a trial or a paid plan ended. Other causes: the website itself moved or went offline, or the print is too small, damaged or low in contrast.
Can I get a deactivated code working again?: Only the service that issued the short link can switch it back on, usually by renewing the plan. You cannot change where an already printed code points. What you can do is make a new static code and cover the old one with a sticker.
The checker says “direct link”. Will it work forever?: The code does not depend on any QR code service, so nobody can deactivate it. It keeps working as long as the website at that address keeps the page. Some QR services also let customers use their own domain; the checker cannot recognise those, so if you paid a QR service for the code, check how it was set up.
Do you open the link to check it?: No. The checker reads the address in the code and compares its domain with a built-in list. Nothing is uploaded, opened or sent. That is also why it cannot tell you where a short link leads: you enter the real destination yourself.
Do Wi-Fi and contact card codes expire?: No. Wi-Fi, contact card, text and similar codes hold their data directly, so they don’t depend on any service. A Wi-Fi code stops working only when you change the network name or password.