Why did my QR code stop working after the free trial?
Because it was probably a dynamic code. A dynamic code holds a short link on the vendor's domain, and the vendor's server forwards every scan to your page. When the trial ends, that forwarding is tied to your account, and several vendors say in their own help pages that trial codes are deactivated, paused or sent to a service page. The printed code did not change; the forwarding did.
What the vendors say, in their own words
Quoted from each vendor's help pages; rules change, so the page and the date read are next to each quote.
| Vendor | What the vendor says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| qr-code-generator.com | “Dynamic QR Codes are deactivated and point to a service page rather than the original destination.” | QR Code Generator Help Center, "What happens to my account and QR Codes when the trial expires?" — https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665046137613, read 2026-09-30 |
| QR TIGER | “Dynamic QRs have unlimited scans with a valid subscription. If your plan expires, it will stop working.” | QR TIGER, FAQ — https://www.qrcode-tiger.com/faq, read 2026-09-30 |
| Uniqode (formerly Beaconstac) | “Dynamic QR codes stop working when your trial expires.” | Uniqode Help Center, "What happens to my QR codes when my subscription changes or ends?" — https://docs.uniqode.com/en/articles/17190918-what-happens-to-my-qr-codes-when-my-subscription-changes-or-ends, read 2026-09-30 |
| QRFY | “Any Dynamic QR Codes that you created during the trial period will be deactivated and linked to a service page.” | QRFY Help Center, "What happens to my account and QR Codes when the trial expires?" — https://support.qrfy.com/en/articles/6998440-what-happens-to-my-account-and-qr-codes-when-the-trial-expires, read 2026-09-30 |
| QR.io | “Dynamic QR codes will be paused” | QR.io Help Center, "What happens to my QR codes and account when the free trial expires?" — https://help.qr.io/en/articles/6977506-what-happens-to-my-qr-codes-and-account-when-the-free-trial-expires, read 2026-09-30 |
| Flowcode | “If you downgrade to our Basic tier from a premium account, you will only retain access to the 2 most recent codes you made. All other codes left in your account will continue to scan and direct users to the destination you specified when creating or last modifying the Flowcode.” | Flowcode Help Center, "What happens to my account and codes when I downgrade?" — https://help.flowcode.com/en/articles/6927459-what-happens-to-my-account-and-codes-when-i-downgrade, read 2026-09-30 |
| Scanova | “Dynamic QR Codes will stop working once your free trial is over. You will need a subscription to keep these QR Codes active.” | Scanova, "Dynamic QR Code Generator with Advanced Features" — https://scanova.io/features/dynamic-qr-code-generator/, read 2026-09-30 |
| Hovercode | “Your first 3 QR codes will never expire, even if you are only ever on the free plan. [...] those extra codes will expire if you downgrade from a paid plan.” | Hovercode Help, "Do Hovercode QR codes expire?" — https://help.hovercode.com/article/6-qr-codes-expire, read 2026-09-30 |
| QRCodeChimp | “If the plan is not renewed, your account will downgrade to the free plan, and all dynamic QR Codes except the last 10 will be deactivated.” | QRCodeChimp Help, "What is the validity of my QR code? (for free or paid plan)" — https://help.qrcodechimp.com/article/20-what-is-the-validity-of-my-qr-code-for-free-or-paid-plan, read 2026-09-30 |
| QRStuff | “If the subscription is no longer activated, the QR Codes in your account expires after 30 days or 1 year after your monthly or annual subscription expires respectively.” | QRStuff, FAQ — https://www.qrstuff.com/faqs, read 2026-09-30 |
| QR Planet | “after the free trial period of one of our paid plans, your account will be deactivated and therefore your QR Codes will stop working if you do not subscribe.” | QR Planet Help, "Will my QR Codes expire?" — https://qrplanet.com/help/article/will-my-qr-codes-expire, read 2026-09-30 |
| QRCodeKIT | “If your subscription expires, the created QR Codes will be deactivated.” | QRCodeKIT Help, "What happens if my subscription expires?" — https://qrcodekit.com/help/what-happens-if-my-account-subscription/, read 2026-09-30 |
What to do now
- Check the code: put a photo into the QR checker to see which service it depends on and that vendor's reactivation page.
- Decide: pay the vendor to reactivate (the code on paper keeps working), or replace it.
- To replace it, find the page it used to open and make a static code to it, then cover the old code with a sticker at least as large as the old one.
Not affiliated with any QR code generator. Vendor terms differ by plan and change over time; your account with the vendor is what counts.
Frequently asked questions
- Why did my QR code stop working?
- If it was a dynamic code, the most common reason is that the account behind it has no active plan any more. Other reasons: the page it opens was moved or deleted, the print is damaged or too small, or it is on a glossy surface with glare.
- Can I get my QR code working again without paying?
- Not the same code, if the vendor ties forwarding to a plan: reactivation is done in the vendor's account. What you can do for free is make a static code to the same page and cover the old one.
- Why does my QR code open a help centre or sign-up page?
- That is how some vendors show a deactivated code: the scan still reaches the vendor, but it no longer forwards to your page. QR Code Generator's help centre, for example, has an article on exactly this.
- Do all QR generators turn codes off?
- No. Static codes cannot be turned off by anyone, and some vendors say codes keep scanning after a downgrade. The table below quotes each vendor; check your own account for your plan.
More guides
- Is my QR code static or dynamic? How to tell
Read the link inside the code: a dynamic code holds a short link on a QR vendor's domain. The vendor domains we list, each with the vendor's own page.
- Do QR codes expire?
A QR code has no expiry date inside it. Static codes work as long as the content is valid; dynamic codes work as long as the vendor forwards them. By content type.
- How to replace a dead QR code on printed menus, cards and signs
Find the page the code used to open, make a static code, size a sticker from the old code's width and cover it. Sticker sizes for common code widths.
Last updated 2026-09-30. Checks the link inside a QR code against a list of known redirect services. It cannot tell whether a code works today or when a plan ends. Vendor details come from each vendor's own help pages; check your account with them. Not affiliated with any QR code generator.