URL QR Code: Turn a Link into a Printable Code
A URL QR code is the simplest useful QR code: the payload is the address itself, so any phone camera can open it without an app or an account. The trade-off is that the address is frozen into the print. If the page moves, the code on the poster is dead.
Static versus dynamic: what a printed URL code can do
A static code encodes the destination directly. It is free, private and works forever as long as the destination exists. A dynamic code encodes a short redirect URL that you can repoint later; that convenience belongs to the redirect service, not to the QR standard, and it adds a third party between the scan and your page.
- Static: best for a stable page you control, a menu, a document, a shop link.
- Dynamic: justified when you must change the destination after printing, or when you need scan counts per placement.
- For anything long-lived, register the domain and the path yourself rather than renting a short link.
Choose a URL that survives a redesign
Prefer a short path on a domain you own, such as example.com/menu, over a campaign URL with tracking parameters. Query strings lengthen the payload, add fragile punctuation and are often stripped by posters or business cards. Use lowercase, no spaces, and a path that describes the destination rather than the campaign.
Minimum print size and quiet zone
A URL of twenty to thirty characters produces a version 2–3 symbol, which stays readable at 20 mm. Longer links push the module count up and the modules down. As a rule of thumb, print at 25 mm for a table card, 50 mm for a poster read at arm’s length, and 100 mm or more for a sign read across a room. Keep the four-module quiet zone free of text and border art.
Test the code before you print
- Scan the exported file on screen with the phone you expect guests to carry.
- Print one copy at final size and scan it under the lighting of the actual location.
- Check the destination on mobile: a desktop-only page with a tiny tap target wastes the scan.
- Open the link once with the trailing slash and once without it; redirects should not break the page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the link after printing a static QR code?
No. The URL is part of the payload. Print a code for a redirect you control, or reprint the material when the destination changes.
Does a URL QR code expire?
The symbol never expires. The page behind it can, and so can a rented short domain. Own the domain and keep the path alive for as long as the print is in use.
Should the URL include https://?
Yes. Cameras handle a bare domain inconsistently, and an explicit https:// avoids an extra redirect and a browser warning.