A QR code pattern never expires, but what it points to can. Which codes stop working, why free ones die, and how to print one that lasts.
The black-and-white pattern of a QR code never expires. What can stop working is what the code points to. A static QR code keeps working for as long as its destination exists. A dynamic QR code keeps working only for as long as the service that runs its redirect is still switched on — and that is the real reason people say QR codes "expire".
| Static QR code | Dynamic QR code | |
|---|---|---|
| What is inside the pattern | The destination itself (a web address, Wi-Fi details, a phone number) | A short redirect address that belongs to the service that made it |
| Can the code itself expire? | No | No — but the redirect can be switched off |
| Stops working when… | The page it points to is removed or moved | The plan, trial or account behind the redirect ends, or the provider shuts down |
| Can you edit it after printing? | No | Yes, while the redirect is active |
| Scan tracking | None | Yes, while the redirect is active |
If a code you printed has stopped working, check these in order:
A dynamic code only works while the company behind it keeps running the redirect, and that costs money. A provider that gives dynamic codes away for free usually limits them by time, by number of scans, or by requiring an upgrade. When the limit is reached, the redirect stops and every printed copy of the code breaks. Nothing is wrong with the printed code — the service behind it has simply been switched off.
We would rather you know this before you print than after:
Do QR codes expire after a certain number of years? No. A QR code is just an image of data and has no built-in end date. A code can only stop working if its destination goes away or, for a dynamic code, the redirect service is switched off.
Do free QR codes expire? Static free codes do not. Free dynamic codes often do, because they depend on the provider's redirect staying switched on and are commonly limited by time or scans.
Does a dynamic QR code stop working if I stop paying? With most providers, yes, and that includes QR Code Pro: if a trial ends with no plan, or a payment is not made after the grace period, dynamic codes stop redirecting. Static codes are not affected.
Can I turn an expired dynamic QR code into a permanent one? No. The destination is not stored in the pattern, so you would need to print a new code. If a link will not change, print a static code instead.
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