My QR code stopped working. Why?
If a code that used to work now shows an error, an “upgrade” page or a dead link, the printed code itself is almost never the problem. Here’s how to find the real cause and get things working again.
1. Check where it points
Scan it with your phone camera and read the address shown before opening it. That tells you who controls where the code goes.
2. If it points to a QR service’s domain
It’s a dynamic code. Its destination is stored on that company’s server, and the redirect has been switched off — often because a free trial or subscription ended. Your options: renew with that company, or replace the code with a static one that points straight to your page.
3. If it points to your own website
The code is fine; the page isn’t. Check whether the page was moved or deleted, or the domain expired. Fix the page — or redirect the old address — and every printed copy works again.
4. If it doesn’t scan at all
Damage, glare, low contrast, a tiny print size or a logo covering too much can make a code unreadable. Print it larger, with dark squares on a light background and a clear margin around it.
How to avoid this next time
Use a static QR code that contains your real address — ideally on a domain you own — so nothing between the code and your content can be switched off. That’s the only kind of code QRCode666 makes, for free, without an account.