Dynamic URL QR Code
A Dynamic URL code stores the destination on our servers.
Everything runs in this browser. Text, files and the finished image are not sent to a server.
A Dynamic URL code stores the destination on our servers so you can change it later. The printed symbol points at a short address on this site. This redirect is free and best-effort — not a paid, guaranteed service.
This business-card code uses the same vCard format as our <a href="/qr/vcard">vCard tool</a>.vCard tool.
EPS is a classic vector of square modules in a single colour. It does not include a centre mark, a gradient, or shaped modules, because those do not travel reliably in EPS. PDF embeds the current preview as a page-sized image, so colours, shapes and a centre mark are kept. Decorative frames and the caption are included in PNG, SVG and PDF only; EPS stays a plain, unframed code.
How to use it
- 1
Enter the destination web address and, if you want, a lifetime. Create the code.
- 2
Copy the edit key and store it somewhere safe, then download the image and test a scan.
- 3
To retarget later, enter the short id and the edit key, load the code, change the destination, and update it. The printed symbol stays the same.
What it does
A Dynamic URL code stores the destination on our servers. The symbol itself only contains a short address on this site, so a scan comes back to us and we send the visitor on. That is what lets you change the destination without reprinting — and what makes the code depend on this site.
You submit a destination web address. We mint a short id, store the destination and a hashed edit key, and you encode https://this-host/r/<id> in the QR symbol. A scan of that symbol receives a 302 redirect to the current destination. You can change the destination with the edit key. An optional 7-, 30-, or 90-day lifetime is available. We keep a simple scan count; we do not store IP addresses or device fingerprints.
Why it works this way
This is a free, best-effort redirect. We do not promise uninterrupted uptime, a reserved short code, or that the record will be kept forever. Use it for short-term needs — a poster this month, a trial, a draft — not as a substitute for a paid short-link or dynamic-QR product.
Keep the edit key. Anyone who has it can change the destination. We store only a hash of the key, so we cannot look it up or reset it for you.
A static URL code is the more durable choice when the address will not change: that kind of symbol carries the destination itself and does not need this site at scan time.
Examples
https://example.com/menu
https://this-host/r/abCDef12 → 302 https://example.com/menu
change the destination to https://example.com/hours
the same /r/abCDef12 now 302s to https://example.com/hours
Inputs and outputs
- a destination web address
- an optional lifetime (none, 7, 30, or 90 days)
- the edit key, when you later change the destination or check the scan count
- optional design settings (colours, shape, size, error correction, a centre image)
- a short address on this site, and a QR symbol that encodes it
- an edit key, shown when the code is created — we cannot recover it later
- a simple scan count
- PNG, SVG, PDF, or a classic EPS of the symbol
Edge cases
- javascript: and data: destinations are rejected; only http and https are stored
- an expired code returns an expired page instead of a redirect until you extend it with the edit key
- losing the edit key means you cannot change that code; create a new one and reprint
Frequently asked questions
Is this a paid or guaranteed dynamic QR service?
No. It is free and best-effort. We do not guarantee uptime, durability, or that a short code will be kept indefinitely. Do not rely on it the way you would rely on a paid product. For a code that must keep working even if this site goes away, use a static URL code instead.
What do you store?
The short id, the destination URL, a hash of the edit key, an optional expiry time, the time the code was created, and a scan count. We do not store IP addresses, device fingerprints, or account details — there is no account.
Can someone else change my destination?
Only if they have the edit key. Treat it like a password. We cannot reset it.
Do you count scans?
Yes, a single running total, with no breakdown by day, country, or device. Looking it up also requires the edit key.
What if I lose the edit key?
We cannot recover it. Without the key you cannot change the destination or look up the scan count. The printed code still points at the short address until it expires or is removed. This is a free, best-effort redirect, not a paid or guaranteed service.