QR codes that don't stop working

A QR code on a menu, a flyer or a box has to work for as long as it's printed. Most that stop working weren't damaged. The short link inside them broke, or the page behind it did.

Printed code

Table 4 menu

• Too small or low contrast
• Glare, creases, damage

Short link inside it

qr.example/x7Kp

• Trial or plan ended
• Scan cap reached
• Ad page added

Your pagecheck first

yourcafe.com/menu

• Moved or deleted (404)
• Domain or SSL expired
• Server down

Why printed QR codes stop working

• A trial or plan ends. Many free QR generators make codes that work only while your account is active. QR TIGER's free dynamic codes, for example, stop after 500 scans (QR TIGER Help Center).
• An ad page appears. Bitly now shows an ad before links from free accounts open, including links behind QR codes (Bitly Support).
• The page moves. A new website or a new menu address leaves the old one returning "404 Not Found".

There's more on each of these in QR code stopped working? Check the destination first.

How ndle QR codes work

Every ndle link comes with a QR code. The code opens the short link, and the short link sends people to your page.

• Free and unlimited. There's no cap on how many codes you make, no trial, and no scan limit.
• No ad page. A scan goes straight to your page.
• Your own domain. The free plan includes one custom domain, so codes can open go.yourbrand.com instead of someone else's address.
• Print-ready files. Download each code as SVG or PNG, with ndle's small mark in the middle.
• Scans you can count. Every scan is a click in your stats, by day, country, device, referrer and UTM campaign.
• No expiry. Links on a free account don't expire unless you set an end date.

Know when the page behind it breaks

A printed code can't tell you when its page is gone. ndle checks the page behind every link every 30 minutes. When it returns a 404, times out or fails its certificate check, the link is flagged on your Monitoring page within half an hour, rather than whenever a customer mentions it.

Error

ndle.fyi/k3x9qa

The destination page could not be found. It may have been moved or deleted.

Occurred

12m ago

What ndle doesn't do yet

Some QR generators let you change where a printed code goes. ndle doesn't yet: once a link is made, its destination is fixed. So point each code at a page you control and expect to keep, like yourcafe.com/menu rather than a file that will be replaced. If that page ever has to move, add a permanent (301) redirect from its old address, and every printed code keeps working.

Removing ndle's mark, custom logos inside the code and custom link endings aren't on the free plan either.

Questions

Are ndle QR codes free?

Yes. Every ndle link comes with a QR code, and the free plan has no limit on how many you make. Download them as SVG or PNG.

Do ndle QR codes expire?

No. A code opens its short link, and links on a free account don't expire unless you give them an end date.

Is there a scan limit?

No. ndle doesn't cap scans, and every scan counts as a click in your stats.

Can I change where a printed code goes?

Not yet. Point the code at a page you control, and if that page moves, redirect its old address to the new one.