When a printed QR code suddenly stops working, the most common cause is that it’s a dynamic code from a subscription service that was deactivated when a free trial or paid plan ended, rather than a fault in the image.
Make your QR code
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Make it dynamic and permanent
A dynamic code lets you change where it goes after printing. From $19 / £15 / €17, paid once. No subscription, no renewals, no scan limits.
Make and download a static code in your browser. No account needed.
2
Buy a pack once
Choose 3, 25 or 250 dynamic codes. One payment, no subscription.
3
Print and edit any time
Change the destination whenever you like. Edits are live in about a minute.
Three years, side by side
StandfastQR Starter compared with a typical subscription QR generator over three years
Feature
StandfastQR
Typical subscription generator
What you pay over 3 years
$19 once
$195 to $900 (the cheapest paid plan of six large providers, billed yearly)
If you stop paying
Nothing changes: there is nothing to stop paying
Dynamic codes are often deactivated
Your own domain
Included with Business and Agency
Often a higher plan or a paid add-on
Scan limits
None
Some free and entry plans cap scans
Subscription figures: QR TIGER, QRCodeChimp, Uniqode, Bitly, Hovercode and Flowcode published pricing, checked on 27 Oct 2026. Each provider’s comparison page links to its sources.
Find the cause in two minutes
Scan the code and read the web address your phone shows before it opens the page.
If it’s your own website address, the code is static. The problem is the page itself: it has moved or the site is down. Fix the page, or make a new code.
If it’s a short link on another company’s domain, the code is dynamic. Open the link in a browser. If you see a sign-up page, a “this code is inactive” page or an advert, the service has switched it off.
Check your account with that service. Look for an ended trial, a failed renewal or a cancelled plan.
What providers publish about deactivation
Several large providers state in their own help pages that dynamic codes stop when a trial or plan ends. For example, QR Code Generator (QRCG) says that after a trial “Dynamic QR Codes are deactivated and point to a service page rather than the original destination” (source), and QR TIGER says “If your plan expires, it will stop working” (source). Policies differ, so check the terms of your provider. Our comparison pages summarise several.
What to do now
If you can pay to reactivate and the code is printed widely, that may be the fastest fix.
If you can reprint, replace it with a code that won’t be switched off: a static code for content that never changes, or a permanent dynamic code for anything that might.
For the next print run, consider codes on your own domain, so the printed codes never depend on a single company.
How we make sure it doesn’t happen again
StandfastQR codes are paid for once. Under our Terms we don’t switch a paid code off for non-payment, inactivity or scan count. The Standfast Promise lists the only exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my QR code is static or dynamic?
Scan it with your phone camera and look at the address it shows before opening. If it’s your own website, the code is static. If it’s a short link on the generator’s own domain, it’s dynamic and depends on that service.
Can I bring a deactivated code back?
Usually only by paying the service that made it. Most providers keep your codes and reactivate them when you buy a plan. Check their help pages for the exact policy.
Can I move a dynamic code to another provider?
Not if it’s on the provider’s domain. The domain is printed into the image, so only that provider can redirect it. That’s why we recommend codes on your own domain for anything printed in quantity.
My code is static and still doesn’t scan. Why?
Check the destination still exists, the print isn’t too small (at least 2 cm across for close scanning), the contrast is strong (dark code on a light background), and nothing covers the corners. Our generator runs a scan check that flags these problems.