What a link code really contains
A link QR code is not a redirect. The address is encoded directly into the pattern — the phone camera reads it, shows the address and opens it. Nothing sits in the middle, which is why these codes keep working for years and need no account.
The trade-off points one way: change the address and every printed code still points at the old one. Decide the address before you print.
Step 1: Put the right address in
Open the QR code generator, choose Link / URL and paste the address. Four habits make the difference:
- Use the final address, not a staging or preview link.
- Prefer a short path. Every extra character makes the pattern denser, and a denser pattern has to be printed larger to scan reliably.
- Point at a page that works on a phone. A menu PDF that needs pinch-zoom is a bad first impression.
- Test one printed copy from where a customer would stand before the full print run.
Step 2: Size it for the distance
The rule is the same as for every QR code: the printed width should be at least one-tenth of the scanning distance.
- Table card, scanned from 30–40 cm: 3–4 cm wide
- Counter card or shelf talker, read at about 1 m: 8–10 cm
- Window poster, scanned from 2–3 m: 20–30 cm
Long addresses need more room. If the pattern looks dense at 3 cm, print it at 4–5 cm rather than shrinking the quiet border.
Step 3: Print it so it survives
Matte paper or matte vinyl, high contrast, and a quiet white margin of at least four modules on every side. Avoid glossy laminate under a ceiling light — the reflection is the most common reason a perfectly good code will not scan.
Keep any centre logo small. A large logo eats the error correction that would otherwise rescue a scuffed or slightly wet print.
Step 4: Keep it current
Bookmark the generator and keep the PNG file. When the address changes, regenerate and reprint the same afternoon: a dead link code looks worse than no code at all.
Use your own domain for the address when you can. A third-party shortener is convenient until it shuts down or starts charging, and then every printed code dies with it.
Four reasons a link code will not scan
- Too small for the distance: the camera cannot resolve the modules.
- Too little contrast: light grey on cream, or a brand colour that fades in sunlight.
- Glare or a curved surface: glossy laminate, a bottle label, a curved window.
- A dense address printed at business-card size, where the print resolution blurs the modules together.
All four are fixed by printing bigger, using matte stock and keeping the quiet border.
Frequently asked
Do link QR codes expire?
No. A static link code stores the address inside the pattern, so there is no redirect to switch off. It stops working only if the address itself stops working.
Should I use a short link service?
It makes the pattern simpler, but it adds a dependency: if the service shuts down or starts charging, every printed code breaks. A short path on your own domain is the safer version.
Can I tell how many people scanned it?
Not from the code itself. Counting scans needs a redirect page or analytics on the destination. If you need numbers, point the code at a page you control and read that page traffic statistics.
Will the same code work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. Both camera apps read link codes natively and show a tap-to-open prompt. Nobody installs anything.