Do QR Codes Expire? What Actually Makes a Code Stop Working

QR codes don't expire on their own. The printed pattern works for as long as it's readable. What stops working is the thing behind it: the web page it opens, or, for dynamic codes, the service that forwards each scan.

The ink doesn't expire. The service behind it can.

So whether your QR code expires depends on what kind it is and who runs it. Here's how to tell, what Google, Adobe and Canva codes do, and how to print a code you won't have to replace.

Do static QR codes expire?

No. A static QR code stores the full web address inside the pattern. Your phone reads the address and opens it directly. No server is involved, so nothing can switch it off.

A static code can still break, though, when its destination does:

• the web page is deleted or moved,
• the domain registration lapses,
• the site is redesigned and the old address returns a 404.

The code still scans; it just opens a dead page. And because the address is fixed in the pattern, you can't point it somewhere else. You can only redirect the old address on your website, if you still control it.

Do dynamic QR codes expire?

They can. A dynamic QR code holds a short link owned by a QR service. Every scan goes through that service, which forwards the visitor to your current destination. If the service stops forwarding, the code stops working, even though the print is fine.

Common reasons a dynamic code stops:

• The free trial ended. Some generators make dynamic codes during a trial and switch them off when it ends.
• The subscription lapsed. Many services deactivate codes when payments stop.
• The account was closed or deleted.
• The provider shut down or changed its terms.

If a scan shows a message such as "QR code deactivated" or "this campaign has been disabled", the service has stopped forwarding it. The fix is with whoever owns the account, not with the print.

Do Google, Adobe and Canva QR codes expire?

Google Chrome. Chrome's built-in generator (menu > Cast, save, and share > Create QR code) makes a static code of the page you're on. It's generated on your device and contains the page address directly, so there's nothing to expire. It works as long as that page exists, and it can't be edited.

Adobe Express. Adobe says its QR codes are static and "never expire". The trade-off is the same as any static code: you can't change the link after you create it. If the page moves, you generate and print a new code. See how QRZY compares with Adobe Express.

Canva. Canva offers both static codes and dynamic codes whose link you can change. Canva says its QR codes don't expire unless you set an expiry date, which Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit plans can do on dynamic codes. After that date, scans go to a link you choose, or to Canva's error page if you didn't set one.

How to tell why a code stopped working

Scan it and look at what happens:

• A message from a QR service ("deactivated", "paused", "unavailable"): the service has stopped forwarding. Log in to the account that made it.
• A "page not found" on your own website: the destination is gone. Restore the page, or redirect the old address.
• Nothing happens, or the phone can't read it: the problem is the print or the phone, not expiry. Our guide to a QR code that's not scanning walks through the causes.

How long do QRZY codes last?

QRZY codes don't expire while your account is active, on any plan, including Free. No expiry date to set, no trial clock running: crazy simple.

If a paid plan ends, here's exactly what happens:

1. When the subscription ends, or a payment is more than 7 days overdue, the account moves to the Free plan.
2. Free includes one live code. Your oldest code stays live.
3. Your other codes are paused, never deleted. A scan of a paused code shows "This link is temporarily unavailable. Please contact the owner of this QR code for assistance."
4. Upgrade again and you can reactivate paused codes, up to your new plan's limit.

QRZY never reuses a short link. Paused, archived or retired, a QRZY short link is never given to another account. A code you printed can't end up sending your customers to someone else's page.

On the Free plan, scans see a 5-second QRZY countdown page before they're forwarded. Paid plans redirect instantly; see pricing for what each plan includes.

How to make a QR code that lasts

• For information that never changes (a permanent page on a domain you'll always own), a static code is fine.
• For anything printed in volume or kept on display, use a dynamic code: print once, then change the QR code after printing whenever you need instead of replacing it.
• Before you print, ask the provider four questions:
  1. What happens to my codes if I cancel or stop paying?
  2. Are codes paused or deleted?
  3. Can a short link ever be reassigned to someone else?
  4. Can I change the destination myself, any time?

Long-lived print is where this matters most: museum labels, signage, packaging and business cards stay in circulation for years. See how museums use QR codes on exhibit labels.

Frequently asked questions

Do QR codes expire? The pattern doesn't. Static codes work as long as their web page exists. Dynamic codes work as long as the service behind them keeps forwarding scans.

Do free QR codes expire? Static codes from free generators don't. Dynamic codes made on a free trial often stop when the trial ends. QRZY's Free plan has no trial: its one dynamic code stays live, with a 5-second countdown before each redirect.

How long do QR codes last? Static codes: as long as the destination page. Dynamic codes: as long as the account that owns them keeps them active.

Do QR codes last forever? A static code to a page you'll always keep can. A dynamic code lasts as long as its provider keeps it running, so read what happens when a plan ends before you print.

Why does my QR code say it's been deactivated? The service that made it has stopped forwarding scans, usually because a trial or subscription ended. Contact the account owner or the provider.

For how dynamic codes route each scan, see our guide to dynamic QR codes.