Troubleshooting
QR code expired or not working? Here's why, and how to fix it
A QR code itself can't wear out: it's just a pattern. When a printed code suddenly stops working, it's almost always because it was a dynamic codethat sends scans through a QR company's server, and that company has stopped forwarding them. Here's how to work out which of five reasons applies to you, and what to do.
The 30-second check
Point your phone camera at the code but don't open it yet. Look at the link it previews. If it starts with your own website, the problem is your page. If it starts with a QR company's domain (or a short link), the problem is that company's account, and the fix is with them.
Five reasons a QR code stops working
1.A free trial ended
The most common cause. Many QR generators let you make dynamic codes during a trial, then switch them off when it ends. The printed code still points at the provider's server; the provider just stops forwarding scans to your page.
2.A scan limit was reached
Some free plans cap how many times a dynamic code can be scanned. Once the cap is hit, the code stops working, often right when a campaign is doing well.
3.A subscription lapsed or a card payment failed
Dynamic codes depend on an active account. A cancelled plan, an expired card or a renewal nobody noticed can switch off every dynamic code on the account at once.
4.Someone set an expiry date or scan limit
Dynamic codes can be set to stop on a date or after a number of scans, for time-limited offers. If a colleague set one, the code is doing exactly what it was told.
5.The destination itself is broken
The code may be fine and the page it opens is not: a deleted Google Drive file, a changed website address, an expired event page. Scanning shows a 404 or "file not found" from the destination site, not from the QR provider.
What the big QR generators do when a code "expires"
From each company's own help pages, checked October 2026. Policies change, so follow the links for the current wording.
QR Code Generator (qr-code-generator.com)
Dynamic codes made during the 14-day free trial are deactivated when the trial ends, and scans go to a service page. Upgrading to a paid plan reactivates them, however long ago they expired. Static codes keep working.
QR TIGER (qrcode-tiger.com)
The free plan includes 3 dynamic codes with a 500-scan limit each. Their help centre says that once the limit is reached, the code stops working. Paid plans have no scan limit during the subscription.
Uniqode (formerly Beaconstac)
When a paid plan lapses, dynamic codes stop redirecting. Renewing restores them immediately with no reprinting. After the 14-day trial, dynamic codes pause until a plan is chosen; static codes keep working.
How to fix it
If the code runs through another QR company
You have two choices. Pay that company to reactivate it, which keeps every printed copy working. Or make a new code you control and replace the printed ones; for things already out in the world, a sticker with the new code over the old one is the quickest fix. No other company can take over a code that points at someone else's domain.
If you set an expiry date or scan limit yourself
Open the code in your QR account and remove or extend the limit. It starts working again on the next scan.
If the destination page is broken
Fix or replace the page. With a dynamic code, change where the code points and every printed copy follows. With a static code, you'll need to restore the page at the same address or reprint.
Replacing a code? Make one that won't do this to you
- 3 dynamic codes free, with no time limit and no cap on scans
- Change the destination any time; printed codes follow
- Scan analytics on the free plan: when, where and on what device people scan
- Static codes for anything permanent, which never depend on us
Frequently asked questions
Do QR codes expire?
A static QR code never expires: the information is stored in the pattern itself. A dynamic QR code works only as long as the company that runs its redirect keeps it switched on, so it can stop when a trial, scan allowance or subscription ends.
Can I fix an expired QR code without reprinting?
Only through the company that made it, because the printed code points at their server. Paying for their plan usually reactivates it. Nobody else, including us, can redirect a code that runs through another company's domain.
My code was from a free website and now shows an ad or a sign-up page. Why?
Some free generators make dynamic codes by default and later put a page in front of the destination, or switch the code off, to push an upgrade. Check whether the code's link (shown when your phone previews it) starts with the generator's own domain.
How do I tell if my QR code is static or dynamic?
Scan it and look at the link your phone shows before opening it. If it's your own website, it's static. If it's a short link on the QR company's domain, it's dynamic and depends on that company.
Will this happen with ScanOrbit?
Free ScanOrbit accounts keep 3 dynamic codes working with no time limit and no cap on scans; the free plan records 500 scans a month in analytics, and codes keep working beyond that. If a paid plan ends, codes that use Pro-only types (PDF, menu, video and so on) pause until you upgrade again; basic types such as website links keep working. Static codes never depend on us at all.
How do I stop this happening again?
Use static codes for anything permanent that never needs to change, like Wi-Fi or a contact card. For dynamic codes, pick a provider whose free plan has no time limit or scan cap, keep the account's billing email monitored, and for big print runs consider a custom domain so the link is yours.