Why did my QR code stop working after the free trial?

It was probably a dynamic code. Dynamic codes forward through the vendor’s server, and some vendors deactivate them when the trial ends.

Can I get a deactivated QR code working again?

With the vendors we checked, upgrading the same account restores the same codes. Without paying, you can only replace the printed code.

Do static QR codes stop working after a trial?

No. A static code holds the destination itself, so no account or trial is involved.

Can I redirect an old trial QR code myself?

No. The short link belongs to the vendor, so the scan never reaches your own site. You need to replace the code.

QR code stopped working after a free trial: why, and how to fix it

Updated 2026-10-17

Short answer: a QR code that stops working after a free trial was almost certainly a dynamic QR code, and the service switched it off when the trial ended. The code printed on your page is fine. The service it points through is what went dark.

Here is why it happens, what the vendors we checked actually do, how to get it working again, and how to avoid it next time.

Vendor details were checked on each company’s own help pages in October 2026. Policies change, so check the vendor’s current terms before you decide.

Why a trial can switch off a QR code

A dynamic QR code does not contain your final web address. It contains a short link on the vendor’s own domain. When someone scans it, the vendor’s server looks up where that code should go and forwards the visitor. That forwarding is the product you are paying for, so the vendor can turn it off when the trial ends.

A static QR code is different. It holds the destination itself, so no company sits in the middle and nothing can expire. See static vs dynamic QR codes for the full picture.

What the vendors we checked do

Vendor	Trial	What happens to dynamic codes at the end
QR Code Generator (by Bitly)	14 days	Deactivated. A scan goes to a service page instead of your destination. Your data is kept and the codes work again if you upgrade, however long the trial has been over.
Uniqode	14 days	Deactivated after the trial. Upgrading the same account restores the original short links.
QRFY	7 days	Dynamic codes made during the trial are deactivated and linked to a service page. Upgrading reactivates them, with no time limit.

Sources: QR Code Generator help, Uniqode help and QRFY help. Other vendors differ: some have free plans instead of timed trials, with their own limits. We only list what we could confirm on official pages.

QR Code Generator and Uniqode also say static codes made on their tools are not affected by a trial or subscription ending.

How to get it working again

Log in to the account you used. Dynamic codes are tied to the account that made them. A new account cannot revive them.
Upgrade or reactivate. For the vendors above, paying restores the same codes with the same short links. Check the vendor’s reactivation help page for the exact steps.
If you don’t want to pay, there is nothing to fix on the printed code. The short link belongs to the vendor, so you cannot redirect it yourself. You can only replace the code.
Reprint with a code you control. Make a new code and swap it on your materials. If you can’t reprint yet, a sticker over the old code is a cheap stopgap.

Even if the old code was meant to open a page on your own website, you can’t redirect it from your side, because the scan never reaches your site; it stops at the vendor. That is the main trap of trial codes.

How to avoid it

Use a static code for anything permanent. A link to your own website, a Wi-Fi password, or a contact card can be a static code that never expires. QRMaple’s free generator makes these, and so do many other free tools.
Don’t print a trial code. Treat a trial as a way to test the dashboard, and never print or publish a code you made during it.
Use dynamic only when you need to edit or count. Then pick a plan with no subscription to lapse, and check what the vendor does if you stop paying. Our guide on QR code expiration explains the common patterns.
Keep a list of every code you print, with where it is used, so you know what breaks if a service goes away.

Where QRMaple fits

QRMaple makes editable (dynamic) QR codes for a one-time payment: $39 Basic, $79 Pro or $119 Premium, with unlimited codes and scans, a 60-day refund, and CSV export of your full list of codes. There is no subscription that can lapse and switch your codes off. To be straight with you, QRMaple is a new service, and its editable codes depend on QRMaple’s servers staying up, just as any dynamic code depends on the company running it. That is why the CSV export exists. QRMaple’s free tool makes plain static black-and-white codes that never expire and can’t be changed; there is no free editable code and no free trial.

If you want to see how other changes work after printing, read how to change a QR code after printing.

FAQ

Why did my QR code stop working after the free trial?: It was probably a dynamic code. Dynamic codes forward through the vendor’s server, and some vendors deactivate them when the trial ends.
Can I get a deactivated QR code working again?: With the vendors we checked, upgrading the same account restores the same codes. Without paying, you can only replace the printed code.
Do static QR codes stop working after a trial?: No. A static code holds the destination itself, so no account or trial is involved.
Can I redirect an old trial QR code myself?: No. The short link belongs to the vendor, so the scan never reaches your own site. You need to replace the code.