Why did my QR code stop working?

If a printed QR code used to work and now shows an error, a "trial expired" page or an ad, the code almost certainly points at a short link owned by a QR company, and that company switched it off when a trial or subscription ended. Other causes are a broken destination link or a print that is too small, low-contrast or damaged. Below are the causes and how to fix each one, plus a generator for a replacement code that will not be switched off.

Where should the replacement code point?

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Printed codes are permanent but links change. Turn this into a dynamic QRCode.Pub code and you can change where it points any time, with scan counts, for a one-time $9. No subscription, never expires.

Print it as a sign

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Letter or A4. Uses the code and colors above. No watermark.

How to make it

Scan the old code and look at the link it opens. If it is a short link on a QR company's domain (not your own website), the provider has deactivated it. You can pay that provider to switch it back on, or replace the code.
If the link opens your own site but shows an error, the page moved. Fix the page or set up a redirect on your website; the printed code then works again.
If phones don't react at all, the print is the problem: too small, too little contrast, light dots on a dark background, a cropped white border, or glare. Reprint at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide, dark on light, with a clear margin.
To replace it, enter the destination above. Download a free static code (works forever, cannot be edited), or click "Make it editable" for a dynamic code you can repoint for life with a one-time $9 payment.

FAQ

Can a QR code expire?

A static QR code cannot expire: the link is stored inside the pattern. A dynamic code points at a redirect run by a provider, and it stops working whenever that provider stops redirecting it, for example when a free trial or subscription ends.

Can I fix the printed code without reprinting?

Only if you control the link it contains. If it points to your own domain, fix or redirect that page. If it points to a QR provider's short link, only that provider can reactivate it.

How do I stop this happening again?

Use a static code for links that will never change, or a dynamic code that is not tied to a recurring payment. QRCode.Pub dynamic codes are paid once ($9) and are never switched off for non-payment.

More free QR code generators