A property dealer prints 2,000 brochures with a QR code linking to a new project page. A month later, the developer changes the website. Now every brochure in every waiting room opens a "Page not found" error.
Reprinting costs money. Throwing away brochures feels worse.
The good news is that you can often fix this. This guide explains how to redirect a QR code in simple steps, which QR codes can be redirected, and how to plan your next code so this problem never happens again.
Can You Redirect a QR Code?
Yes, but it depends on the type of QR code and the link inside it. A dynamic QR code can be redirected from the provider's dashboard at any time. A static QR code can't be edited, but if it points to a website you own, you can redirect that web page to a new address, and every scan will follow.
First, Know Which QR Code You Have
Before you try anything, figure out what's inside your code.
Scan it with your phone and look at the link that appears before the page opens. If it's a short link from a QR code company, something like a random string on their domain, you probably have a dynamic QR code. If it shows your own website address, it's a static code pointing to your site. If it connects to WiFi, saves a contact, or shows plain text, it's a static code with no link at all.
That one check decides which method below will work for you.
Method 1: Redirect a Dynamic QR Code from the Dashboard
This is the easiest case.
Log in to the platform where you made the code. Find the QR code in your list, click edit, paste the new destination link, and save. That's it. The printed code stays the same, but every new scan goes to the new page within moments.
One warning. Dynamic codes only work while your account is active. If the subscription has ended, the code may have already stopped working, and you'd need to renew before you can edit it. Our free vs paid QR code generator guide explains why.
Method 2: Redirect a Static QR Code Using Your Website
This is the method most people don't know about, and it costs nothing.
A static QR code holds a fixed link. You can't change the code. But if that link is on your own website, you control what happens when someone lands there. So you set up a redirect from the old page to the new page.
On WordPress
Install a free redirect plugin, add the old page address as the source, add the new page as the target, and choose a 301 (permanent) redirect. Save, then scan your printed code to test.
On other website builders
Most platforms like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace have a URL redirect option in their settings. Look for "URL redirects" or "301 redirects" and add the old and new addresses.
On a custom website
Your developer can add a 301 redirect on the server in a few minutes. Google explains how these redirects work in its Search Central guide to redirects, which is useful to share with them.
A 301 redirect also passes most of the old page's search value to the new page, so it's good for SEO too.
What If the Static QR Code Links to Someone Else's Website?
This is the tough one. If your code points to a page you don't control, like an old third-party booking page or a deleted social post, you can't redirect it. The owner of that site decides what happens.
Your options are to ask the site owner for a redirect, place a sticker with a new QR code over the old one, or reprint. Stickers are cheaper than you'd think for small batches, and they look fine if you match the size.
Can You Redirect a WiFi, vCard, or Text QR Code?
No. These codes store data directly inside the pattern, with no link involved. If your WiFi password changes, the old code won't connect anymore. You'll need a new code.
A practical tip for WiFi: if you change passwords often, keep a small printed card in a stand instead of printing the code on permanent signage.
How to Plan a QR Code You Can Always Redirect
Prevention is easier than fixing. Before creating your next code, point it to a simple, stable page on your own domain, like yourbrand.com/offer or yourbrand.com/menu. Then send that page wherever you want, whenever you want.
It gives you most of the flexibility of a dynamic QR code, with a free static code. Here's how the options compare:
Option | Cost | Can change destination | Works if you stop paying |
Dynamic QR code | Paid plan | Yes, from dashboard | Usually no |
Static QR code to your own page | Free | Yes, with website redirect | Yes |
Static QR code to third-party page | Free | No | Yes, until that page changes |
WiFi, vCard, or Text QR code | Free | No | Yes |
You can make a static URL QR code for your own page on GenerateQRCod for free, with your logo and colors.
Test Before and After You Redirect
After setting any redirect, test the printed code with at least two phones, one Android and one iPhone. Check that the new page loads fast on mobile data, not just office WiFi. And make sure you haven't created a redirect chain, where page A goes to B, which goes to C. Each extra hop slows the scan down.
For more printing and scanning tips, see our QR code best practices.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to redirect a QR code can save a full print run. Check what kind of code you have, then use the dashboard or a website redirect. And next time, point your code to a stable page on your own domain. Create a free QR code on GenerateQRCod that links to a page you control, and you'll never be stuck with 2,000 useless brochures again.