How to make a QR code that lasts
- Enter a web address you control and expect to keep online.
- Style it if you like, then check the scan test.
- Download the SVG and keep the file safe. You can reprint from it at any size.
- Print a proof and scan it with a couple of phones before a large print run.
Why some QR codes stop working
Many free tools produce dynamic codes. The code does not contain your address; it contains a short link on the provider's own domain, which redirects to your page. That is how they count scans and let you edit the destination.
It also means the code only works while the provider keeps redirecting it. When a trial ends or a subscription lapses, the redirect stops, and every printed copy leads nowhere.
How to tell if a code is dynamic
Scan it and look at the address before you open it. Many phones show a preview. If the address is on a company's own short-link domain rather than your real destination, the code is dynamic. A static code shows your real destination, or holds text, a WiFi login or a contact card directly.
What static codes cannot do
A static code cannot be edited afterwards and cannot count scans. If the destination might move, point the code at a page on your own site, and redirect that page when it changes. You keep the flexibility without depending on a third party.
If a printed code has already expired
A dead dynamic code cannot be revived from outside. Generate a static code for the same destination, and replace the old one. If the destination is a page you still control, nothing else needs to change.
Frequently asked questions
Do static QR codes have an expiry date?
No. A static code contains your information itself. Nothing has to stay online for it to scan, and there is no account or subscription behind it.
Can a QR code be turned off by the company that made it?
A dynamic code can, because it depends on their redirect. A static code cannot, because nothing runs in the middle.
Are the codes made here static?
Yes, every one of them. This site does not offer dynamic codes, so none of your codes depend on us staying online.