The pattern, never. The pointer, sometimes. A QR code is ink encoding a destination: if the destination is inside the pattern, there is nothing to expire; if the pattern points at a company’s redirect, the code lives at that company’s pleasure.
If it points at the final address — static — it cannot expire. If it points at a short link owned by a QR platform — dynamic — its life is a policy decision: QRFY and Egoditor switch codes off at trial end; QR Tiger meters free codes at 500 scans; Flowcode, honestly, never switches them off at all. A few platforms even give small dynamic allowances that survive cancellation (TQRCG 2 codes, Hovercode 3, QRCodeChimp 10 with a monthly pause — vendor comparison, checked 2026-09-11). Anyone who gives you a one-word answer for all codes is selling something.
Drop in a photo, a screenshot, or the code file itself. We decode it in your browser — the image never leaves your device — and tell you who holds the switch.
Drop a QR code image here or tap to choose a file
A photo of the printed piece works. Sharper is better; we would rather say “unreadable” than guess.
Before anything goes to a printer: prefer static, put the destination on a domain you own, and keep the print guardrails (quiet zone, contrast, logo under a third). Whole runs get the full treatment in the Print Pack — audit first, print second.
The checker above judges one code. The Print Pack judges the set — and lays it out for the printer, validated.
Every code in the run on validated print-ready sheets — US Letter or A4, each cell with its label, its destination printed underneath as the human fallback, and a guaranteed 4-module quiet zone. Print from the browser or save as PDF.
Included in the $39 Print Pack
Drop in up to 50 code images — files or photos of the printed sheets — and get one verdict table for the whole run: permanent, dies-if-unpaid, at-risk, unreadable. With one-click verified static replacements for every code that can die.
Included in the $39 Print Pack
Wedding sets, menu sets, per-event sets — saved in your browser, named, reloadable next print run. No account, nothing uploaded, ever.
Included in the $39 Print Pack
$39 one-time — no subscription, because a subscription is rather the point