Updated 25 October 2026
Quick answer: A QR code stops working when it was made as a "dynamic" code that sends people through the generator company's own web address, and the company switches that address off when a free trial ends or a plan isn't paid. A "static" QR code holds your link, Wi-Fi password or contact details inside the pattern itself, so it keeps working for as long as the printed code is readable. The free generator below makes only static codes, in your browser, with no account, trial or watermark. Download it as a PNG for screens or an SVG for print, and test it with your phone camera before printing.
Thousands of people have learned this the hard way. A restaurant prints menus, a charity prints posters, a small business prints 5,000 flyers, and a week later the code opens a page asking for a monthly subscription. Review sites are full of these stories: users of several popular generators report codes that were disabled about seven days after they were made, with reactivation only on a paid plan, and in one case support asking $50 to turn a code into a static one. The fix is simple once you know the difference, and it costs nothing.
Colours and size
Why "Free" QR Codes Stop Working
There are two kinds of QR code, and most generator websites don't make the difference clear:
- Static codes contain the actual information: your web address, the Wi-Fi network name and password, or the contact card. A phone reads it straight from the pattern. Nothing sits in between, so there is nothing to switch off. This is how QR codes were designed to work by Denso Wave, the company that invented them in 1994 and keeps the format free to use.
- Dynamic codes contain a short link to the generator company's server, such as qr.example/abc123, which then forwards people to your page. That lets you change the destination later and count scans, which is genuinely useful for marketing. But it also means the code only works while the company keeps your redirect running.
Many "free" generators make dynamic codes by default, because the redirect is what they charge for. When the trial ends, the printed code still scans, but it lands on an error or a sales page. The printed pattern itself never expires; the redirect behind it does.
How to Tell Which Kind You Have
- Scan the code with your phone camera and look at the address it shows before you open it.
- If it shows your own website address (or "Join network", or a contact card), it is static and will keep working.
- If it shows a different short address belonging to the generator, it is dynamic. It works only as long as that company keeps it running.
Which QR Code to Make, and When
| You want people to… | Choose | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Open a web page | Link | Menus, flyers, posters, packaging, slides |
| Join your Wi-Fi without typing | Wi-Fi | Homes, cafés, offices, rentals, events |
| Save your phone number and email | Contact | Business cards, name badges, market stalls |
| Start a WhatsApp chat or text | Phone / SMS | Shops, delivery, customer service |
| Send you an email with a subject filled in | Feedback, RSVPs, support requests | |
| Read a short message offline | Text | Labels, instructions, scavenger hunts |
Getting a QR Code That Scans Every Time
- Keep strong contrast. A dark code on a light background works on every phone. Light codes on dark backgrounds fail on some older scanners. The tool warns you if the colours are too close.
- Leave the white border. The quiet zone around the code (four squares wide) helps phones find it. Don't crop it off.
- Size it for the distance. A good rule is that the code should be at least one tenth of the scanning distance: about 2–3 cm (1 inch) on a business card, 10 cm (4 inches) on a poster read from a metre away, and much larger on a banner.
- Shorter is better. A short web address makes a simpler pattern with bigger squares, which scans faster from further away. Long text makes a dense code.
- Use SVG for print. SVG files stay sharp at any size, from a sticker to a billboard. Use PNG for websites, slides and social media.
- Raise damage tolerance for rough places. "High" or "Highest" lets the code still scan if part of it is scratched, dirty or covered by a small logo, at the cost of a denser pattern.
- Test before you print. Scan the downloaded file with two different phones, from the distance people will actually use.
What You Lose With a Static Code
Static codes can't be edited after printing and don't count scans. If you need either, there are two honest options. You can point the code at a page on your own website and change that page whenever you like: the address stays the same, so the code keeps working, and your own site's analytics count the visits. Or you can pay for a dynamic code from a company you trust, knowing that the code depends on that subscription. Avoid making a dynamic code on a free trial for anything you will print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do QR codes expire?
Static QR codes never expire, because the information is stored in the pattern itself. Dynamic QR codes can stop working when the company that runs their redirect ends a free trial or the subscription lapses.
Is this QR code generator really free?
Yes. There is no account, trial, watermark or limit, and the codes are static, so there is nothing to renew. The code is drawn in your browser and your information is not sent anywhere.
Can I use these QR codes for business and print?
Yes. Use them on menus, packaging, flyers, cards and signs. Download the SVG for print so it stays sharp at any size.
How do I make a QR code for my Wi-Fi?
Choose the Wi-Fi tab, type the network name exactly as it appears on your phone, add the password and choose the security type (WPA for almost every modern router). Guests scan it with the camera app and tap Join.
Why won't my QR code scan?
The usual causes are low contrast between the code and background, a cropped white border, a code printed too small for the distance, or a very long link. Make it darker, larger or shorter and test again.
Can I add a logo to the middle?
You can place a small logo over the centre in any design app if you choose "High" or "Highest" damage tolerance, which lets the code survive a covered area. Keep the logo to under about a fifth of the code's width and test it carefully.
Sources
- Denso Wave (inventor of the QR code): QR code FAQ
- WPForms: do QR codes expire? How long they really last
- Trustpilot: user reviews of QR.io (codes disabled after trials)
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Checked in October 2026. Reviews describe individual users' experiences with particular companies; check any provider's current terms before paying.
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