Step 1: Confirm what happened
Scan the code with our QR code scanner and read the link it contains. If it points to a QR or link-shortening service rather than your own website, and opening it shows a "paused", "inactive" or "upgrade" page, the code depends on that service and the service has stopped forwarding it. If you're not sure, read Why did my QR code stop working? first.
Step 2: Decide whether to reactivate or replace
You have two honest options:
| Option | Good when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Reactivate with the provider | Thousands of items are already printed and reprinting costs more than the plan | Check the price, the billing period and what happens if you cancel later |
| Replace with a static code | You can update the printed material, or you are about to reprint anyway | The old prints stay broken until they are covered or replaced |
Many businesses do both: reactivate for a few months while the new material is printed, then cancel.
Step 3: Find the final destination
To build the replacement you need the address the old code used to open. Look in your account with the old provider (the destination is usually listed next to each code), check your own website for the page you meant to share, or ask whoever made the code.
Step 4: Make a permanent replacement
Paste the final address into our free QR code generator. The paste box recognises links, WiFi details, contact cards and payment IDs and picks the right type for you.
Best practices for a code that lasts:
- Point it at a page you control, such as yourbusiness.com/menu. You can change that page any time without touching the code.
- Keep the design scannable: dark dots on a light background, a clear margin and a logo no larger than about 30% of the width. The generator checks this for you.
- Download a vector file (SVG or PDF) for print, so the code stays sharp at any size.
- Test it with two different phones on a real print before ordering in quantity.
Step 5: Fix the printed material
Reprinting everything is rarely necessary:
- Stickers: print the new code on stickers slightly larger than the old one and cover it. On tables and windows this takes minutes. Our printable templates include sticker sheets and Avery label layouts.
- Table tents and counter cards: print new ones; they are cheap and replace the most-scanned codes first.
- Packaging and signs: prioritise the places people scan most, and replace the rest at the next print run.
- Digital material (websites, emails, social posts): swap the image right away.
Step 6: Prevent it next time
- Prefer static codes for anything printed. They can't expire because nothing sits between the code and your link. Static vs dynamic explains when a dynamic code is worth it.
- If you do use dynamic codes, read what happens to printed codes when you cancel or downgrade, before you print.
- Keep a list of every code you printed, where it is and what it points to. Our generator keeps a list of your recent codes in your browser, and you can save a backup file of them.
A short checklist you can copy
Use this list the day you discover a broken code:
- Scan the code and write down the link it contains.
- Open the link on a phone and note what it shows (paused page, error, upgrade offer).
- Find the original destination in the old provider account, your website or your emails.
- Decide: reactivate for now, replace, or both.
- Create a static replacement pointing at a page you control.
- Test the new code on two phones, printed at its real size.
- Cover or replace the most-scanned prints first, then the rest.
- Update digital copies (website, social posts, email signatures, PDFs).
- Record every replacement in a simple sheet: location, date, destination.
What to tell customers
While old codes are still out, a broken scan costs trust. A small handwritten note ("New code below, the old one no longer works") next to a sticker is better than silence. If the code was on packaging already sold, put the new destination on your website's home page and in your social media bio, because some customers will search for you by name instead. Staff at the counter should know where the new code is so they can point people to it.
Signs a code depends on a third party
Before you print anything new, scan it and look at the address. Short links on a QR or link-shortening domain, addresses that contain a code ID instead of a readable page name, and links that briefly show a loading screen before your page are all signs of a redirect you don't control. A static code shows your own address, or the WiFi details, contact card or payment ID themselves.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move a dynamic QR code to another provider?
Usually not. The printed pattern contains the old provider's short link, so only that provider can forward it. Replace the code with one that points to your own page.
Will a sticker over the old code work?
Yes, as long as the new code fully covers the old one, including its quiet zone, and the sticker is flat and matte.
How do I stop this happening again?
Use static codes that point to pages you control. They cannot be switched off by a third party.
Can I get my scan statistics from the old provider?
Often only while the account is active. Export the statistics before you cancel if you need them.
Do I need to reprint business cards?
Not always. A small sticker with the new code works for a short time, but reprint at your next order so the cards look clean.