What a URL QR code stores
The payload is the address itself — scheme, host, path, query string, and fragment, byte for byte. Nothing is wrapped around it: no QR Decode redirect, no shortening step, no tracking parameter you did not put there yourself.
So a menu link comes out as exactly this:
That literalness is the point. What you paste is what every scanner will see, forever — which also means every typo you paste is preserved forever. Decode the exported file once before printing; it takes ten seconds and catches the pasted-the-wrong-tab mistake.
https://example.com/menu?table=12Get the address right before you encode it
Include the scheme. A bare example.com may be treated as plain text by some scanners instead of an openable link; https:// removes the ambiguity, and HTTPS should be there anyway if the destination supports it.
Paste the final destination, not a hop. If your address redirects — country selectors, tracking gateways, http-to-https bounces — encode where the chain ends. Every redirect is one more thing that can break after the poster is printed.
Mind the details that URLs care about: paths can be case-sensitive, spaces must be encoded, and a query string full of campaign tags makes the payload longer and the code denser. Shorter addresses produce coarser, easier-to-scan modules.
How iOS and Android open the link
Recent iPhone and Android cameras recognise the code, show the domain in a banner, and wait for a tap before opening the browser. Neither opens links silently, which is why the domain you encode should be one people recognise — that banner is where they decide whether to trust you.
Third-party scanner apps behave less predictably: some preview the page, some show the raw address, a few open it immediately. You control the payload, not the scanner, so keep the address self-explanatory.
Static by design: what you gain, what you give up
You gain permanence and privacy. The code works without an account, nobody can turn it off, and no intermediary logs your visitors on the way through. This is what dynamic-code subscriptions charge monthly to approximate.
You give up remote editing and scan statistics. The printed code will open this address until the paper decays. If the destination must change over time, encode a stable address on a domain you control and change what that page serves — that is the honest version of a 'dynamic' code.
A URL shortener can shrink the payload and coarsen the modules, but it inserts a third party that can expire, get blocked, or hide your domain from the trust banner. For print, your own short path — example.com/menu — beats a shortener on every axis except typing effort.
Before the poster goes to print
Open the address in a private browser window to confirm it works logged-out. Decode the exported PNG or SVG to verify the payload. Then print one proof and scan it from the distance your audience will stand at — a table tent and a billboard are different problems.
Keep the quiet zone (the white margin) intact when placing the code into a layout, and keep dark-on-light contrast. Both failure modes are covered in detail in the printing checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Does this URL QR code expire?
No. The address is stored in the image itself, so the code works indefinitely. The website behind it can still move or shut down — that is the destination's lifespan, not the code's.
Can I change the link after printing?
No. A static code has no redirect to re-point. Print a new code, or encode an address you control and change what that page shows.
Does generating the code visit my website?
No. The browser encodes the characters of the address locally and never contacts the destination — you can generate a code for an intranet or a not-yet-launched page.
Should I use a URL shortener in a QR code?
Only if the full address is genuinely too long to scan well. A shortener hides your domain from the scan banner and adds a service that can expire or be blocked. A short path on your own domain is the better fix.
Is this link-to-QR converter free?
Yes — unlimited codes, no account, no watermark, and both PNG and vector SVG downloads.
A URL QR code is a literal address
For a table-tent destination `https://example.com/menu?table=12`, the scheme, domain, path and query are all part of the stored value. A static QR code does not look up a short-link dashboard and cannot be changed after print. Before layout, open the exact HTTPS address on a phone, follow any redirect, and confirm that the visible page is the intended menu rather than a login screen, generic home page or development host. A short, stable route is usually better than a long campaign URL because each extra character can increase QR density. The URI syntax is defined by RFC 3986: https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3986 .
Accept a public-link proof, not only a decode
A useful proof records the exact URL, QR SVG revision, print size and two checks: the code decodes to the byte-for-byte address, and that address loads the promised content over an ordinary mobile connection. Put a readable fallback address beside the symbol so a person without a camera has a route. Test after the final artwork export; a crop, stale file or accidental change from `https` to `http` can survive an earlier review. A QR generator never visits the URL, so it cannot discover a 404, consent wall or expired domain. Conversely, a live page does not make a too-small or poorly printed matrix readable. Keep those as separate acceptance conditions. When the destination needs to change often, use an organisation-controlled landing page whose URL can remain stable, and describe that redirection choice honestly rather than claiming the printed code is editable.
Audit the destination before each reprint
A reprint is a fresh chance to discover an expired certificate, changed page ownership or a campaign path that no longer serves the promised task. Open the address without being signed in, scan the proof and compare the domain displayed by the phone with the domain printed beside it. Keep a dated record of that check. QR readability and web availability can drift independently.
Keep query parameters understandable
A table identifier such as `table=12` is useful only if the target site still recognises it. Review each parameter after a website migration, because a harmless-looking query can become ignored or route a visitor to a default page. Where a parameter is not essential, omit it and encode the shorter canonical destination.