My QR code stopped working: why, and how to fix it

Updated 5 October 2026

A QR code that worked last month and doesn't today has usually been switched off by the company that made it. Less often, the print or the web page is the problem. Here's how to tell which, and what to do next.

First, a two-minute check

1. Scan it with a phone camera and read the link before you tap. If the link is your own web address (like yourcafe.co.uk/menu), it's a static code. If it's a short link on another company's domain, it's a dynamic code and depends on that company.
2. Tap the link and see what loads. A page from the QR code company saying the code is inactive, expired, paused or has reached its limit means it's been switched off. An error from your own website points to the page, not the code.
3. If the camera doesn't react at all, the code can't be read. That's a printing or placement problem, covered below.

Why codes get switched off

Most QR code generators sell dynamic codes. A dynamic code doesn't hold your link. It holds a short link on the company's own domain, which forwards people to you. That's what makes it editable. It also means the company can stop forwarding at any time, and many do when the payments stop.

The free trial ended

Many generators offer a free trial of dynamic codes, often 14 days. People make a code, print it and forget about it. When the trial ends, the code stops sending people to your page. For example, QR Code Generator's own help centre says that when the trial expires, dynamic codes "are deactivated and point to a service page rather than the original destination" (QR Code Generator help centre, accessed October 2026). The code you printed still looks fine. It just doesn't go where it should.

The subscription lapsed or was cancelled

Paid dynamic codes usually work only while the subscription is active. Codes can stop when a card expires, a payment fails, someone cancels to save money, or the person who set it up leaves the business. Some companies allow a grace period after cancelling. Others switch codes off when the plan ends.

The code hit a scan limit

Some free and entry-level plans cap the number of scans per code. A code on a busy menu or poster can reach the cap quickly. QR TIGER's pricing page, for example, lists "500 scans per dynamic QR code" on its free plan (QR TIGER pricing, accessed October 2026).

The account was closed or the company changed

If an account is deleted, or a company is sold, merges or closes, its short links can stop working. You have no control over this with a dynamic code from someone else.

You can compare how the big generators handle trials, cancellations and refunds on our alternatives page, with links to each company's own policies.

Other reasons a code won't scan

Not every dead code has been switched off. Check these too.

The print is damaged or dirty

Scratches, tears, grease, water damage and fading all remove information. QR codes can survive some damage, but not if it hits the three large squares in the corners. Outdoor codes fade in sunlight, especially from inkjet printers.

The contrast is too low

Scanners need a dark code on a light background with a clear difference between the two. Pale grey on white, dark blue on black, or a code printed over a photo often fails. Light-on-dark (inverted) codes work on some phones and not others.

It's too small for the distance

A rule of thumb: the code should be at least one tenth as wide as the distance people scan from. A code on a poster read from 2 metres away needs to be about 20 cm wide. Codes on printed items held in the hand should be at least 2 cm wide.

The border has been cropped

A QR code needs a clear margin around it, called the quiet zone, so the scanner can find its edges. If a designer trimmed it or placed text right up to the code, it may not scan.

Glare, curves or a logo in the way

Glossy lamination, shiny plastic and curved surfaces like bottles reflect light across the code. A large logo in the middle can also cover too much of it.

The link inside has changed

If the code is static and scans fine but shows an error page, the code is doing its job. The web page it points to has moved, been renamed or gone. Fix the page, or set up a redirect on your website from the old address to the new one.

How to fix it

If the company switched it off

1. Find out who made it. The short link shown when you scan tells you which company it is. Search your email for a sign-up or receipt from them.
2. Contact them, or log in. Ask what it would cost to reactivate the code, and whether it will stay active if you later cancel. Some will reactivate it if you pay for a plan. Only they can make the old code work again, because the short link belongs to them.
3. Decide whether to pay or replace it. If you'd be paying every month or year just to keep one printed code alive, replacing it is often cheaper over time.

If you're replacing the code

1. If the link won't change, make a static code. It contains your web address directly, so no company can switch it off. Make a free static QR code. No account needed.
2. If you need to change the link later, choose an editable code that isn't sold by subscription.KeepQR's editable codes are £4.99 once and are never deactivated for non-payment. See pricing.
3. Cover the old code rather than reprinting everything. A matt sticker printed with the new code, at the same size or larger, is often enough for menus, signs and windows. Make sure the sticker covers the old code completely so phones can't read both.
4. Test before you print in bulk. Scan a proof with an iPhone and an Android phone, from the distance people will really use, in the light where it will hang.

If it's a print or page problem

• Reprint larger, with dark ink on a light background and a clear margin all round.
• Use matt lamination or none at all where there's bright light.
• If the page has moved, put it back or add a redirect on your website, and the old code will work again.

How to stop it happening again

• Before you print, check what kind of code you have. Scan it and read the link. If it's someone else's short link, find out exactly what happens when you stop paying.
• Use static codes when the link won't change. Your home page, your Google review link, your Wi-Fi: none of these need an editable code.
• Point static codes at pages you control. For a menu, link to a page on your own website and update the page, not the code.
• Keep a record. Note which company made each printed code and which account it's on, so it doesn't get lost when staff change.
• Read the cancellation terms. "Free" often means a trial. Look for what happens to codes when it ends.