Set QR Codes to Expire by Date or Scan Limit
Choose a UTC calendar-date cutoff, a qualifying human scan cap, or both for an eligible dynamic QR. QRLynx enforces the first condition reached and shows a clear unavailable-code page afterward.
Selected QR Code Type
QRLynx Expire Rules lets a Pro, Business, or Enterprise account stop an eligible dynamic QR at the start of a selected UTC calendar date, after a maximum number of qualifying human scans, or when either configured condition is reached first. The printed QR pattern and managed short link stay the same. After the cutoff, QRLynx shows its branded unavailable-code page. An authorized account user can extend or remove the date, raise or remove the scan cap, and resume the same printed code.
Pro includes 300 active dynamic QR codes, unlimited scans when the owner has not applied a scan cap, and 2 Years of analytics history. Business includes 3 Years, while Enterprise has no fixed plan lookback cap. The scan cap on this page is an optional owner-configured campaign rule, not a platform-wide scan allowance.
This page explains the QRLynx feature and its exact workflow. For the general difference between a QR pattern, a static destination, a managed dynamic link, and a provider account, read Do QR Codes Expire?.
What Expire Rules controls
Two clear stop conditions, one managed QR, and a reversible campaign endpoint.
Calendar Date Cutoff
Choose the UTC calendar date when the managed QR route should stop opening its saved destination, beginning at 00:00 UTC.
Qualifying Scan Cap
Set a positive whole-number maximum for qualifying human scans that reach the managed route.
Whichever Comes First
Use the date and scan cap together. The QR becomes unavailable when the first configured condition is reached.
Same Printed Code
Extend or remove the date, or raise or remove the cap, without changing the printed QR pattern.
Clear Visitor State
After the cutoff, a known QRLynx QR shows the branded unavailable-code page instead of opening the former destination.
Dashboard Overview
Review QR names, expiry dates, scan caps, current scan totals, and edit links from Account Expire Rules.
Choose the QRLynx control that matches the campaign
Expire Rules, Scheduling, Smart Redirects, and manual status controls solve different lifecycle decisions.
| Control | Use it for | Configuration | Visitor result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expire Rules | Stopping at a UTC calendar-date cutoff or qualifying scan total | Expiry date, max scans, or both | QRLynx unavailable-code page after the first cutoff |
| QR Scheduling | A defined start and end date-time window | Schedule start, schedule end, or both | Available inside the window and unavailable outside it |
| Smart Redirect Rules | Sending eligible visitors to different live destinations | Ordered conditions for device operating system, country, or recurring UTC time | The first matching destination opens |
| Pause and Activate | An immediate manual status change | Account action on the saved QR | Unavailable while paused, live again when activated |
How to set QR code expiration rules in QRLynx
Choose the stop condition, save it on an eligible dynamic QR, test the route, and monitor it from one account view.
Define the destination and end condition
Choose the final destination first. Decide whether the campaign should stop at the start of a UTC calendar date, after a total number of qualifying scans, or when either condition is reached first.
Create an eligible dynamic QR
Sign in to QRLynx, choose a supported standard QR type, enter the final content or destination, and enable Dynamic URL. GS1 Digital Link uses its separate resolver contract and does not offer these advanced redirect controls.
Open Expire Rules
Open the generator settings or edit a saved QR and choose Expire Rules. The control is included on Pro and higher plans. Accounts without access see the plan upgrade prompt before configuration.
Set the calendar date
Turn on Expire after Date and choose the cutoff date. QRLynx stores it as 00:00 UTC at the start of that date. Use QR Scheduling when the campaign needs a specific start or end date and time.
Set the qualifying scan cap
Turn on Expire after Scans and enter a positive whole number. If both controls are enabled, QRLynx stops the route when the first condition is reached.
Save and test with headroom
Save the rule, scan the exported QR and a physical proof, and confirm the correct destination. A qualifying human test scan can consume the scan cap, so include testing headroom before launch.
Monitor and revise from Account Expire Rules
Open Account Expire Rules to review each configured QR, its date, maximum scans, current total, and edit action. Extend or remove the date, or raise or remove the cap, when the campaign plan changes.
Campaign endpoint defined
Create a dynamic QR with a clear cutoff
Build the destination, then add a date or qualifying scan cap in Expire Rules before the code is printed or launched.
What happens after an expiration condition is reached
QRLynx checks the stored expiry date and scan cap before sending a visitor to the saved destination. When either configured condition has been reached, the known short code remains recognizable to QRLynx and the visitor receives the branded unavailable-code page.
The rule changes the managed route, not the squares already printed on paper. That is why the account owner can revise the rule and use the same printed code again. Extending the date into the future, increasing the cap above the current count, or removing the relevant condition lets the route resume after the updated QR data reaches the redirect cache.
The current Expire Rules flow uses the QRLynx unavailable-code page. If a campaign should continue to a new destination after its promotion ends, update the dynamic destination before the cutoff or use a planned redirect workflow instead of relying on a custom expiry fallback.
What consumes a scan cap
The cap follows the successful human route, not every automated request made to the short link.
| Request | Consumes the cap? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying human scan that reaches the destination flow | Yes | The visitor completed any required access gate and reached the terminal route |
| Recognized crawler or link preview | No | Likely automation is excluded from the human scan counter |
| HEAD request used to inspect the route | No | Only qualifying human GET requests consume the cap |
| Visitor who stops at a password, consent, or lead gate | No | The cap is incremented after required access gates are completed |
| A later qualifying scan from the same person or device | Yes | The cap measures qualifying scan requests, not unique people or redeemed credentials |
Choose a scan cap for traffic volume, and a credential system for individual redemption
Expire Rules is designed to stop a route after a total number of qualifying scans. For one-person-per-ticket entry, single-use vouchers, coupon balances, or identity-based access, connect the QR to a dedicated ticketing, redemption, or credential system that records each individual use.
Campaigns that fit date and scan cutoffs
Use the control when the end condition is a calendar date, a total scan threshold, or both.
Dated Promotions
Stop a printed campaign route after its published offer period, then revise the rule if the promotion is extended.
Application Windows
Retire a registration, recruitment, or application link at the start of its stated UTC cutoff date.
Limited Content Reach
Stop a managed route after a planned volume of qualifying scans while treating the cap as traffic, not unique people.
Temporary Document Route
Close the QRLynx route after a date or scan threshold. Files already downloaded remain under the destination system's own controls.
Event Information Sunset
Retire an event information or registration destination after the event while keeping ticket validation in its dedicated system.
Beta or Preview Link
Close an early-access or preview destination on a chosen date and resume the same printed route if the window changes.
Add a clear endpoint to your next QR campaign
Expire Rules is included with Pro and higher plans for eligible dynamic QR codes. Configure a date, a qualifying scan cap, or both, then manage every rule from the account dashboard.
QRLynx Expire Rules questions
Exact answers about support, counting, cutoffs, and reactivation.
Which QRLynx QR codes support Expire Rules?
Expire Rules is available for eligible standard QR types saved in dynamic mode. The generator hides advanced redirect controls for GS1 Digital Link because GS1 uses its separate resolver contract.
Which plans include QR code expiration rules?
Expire Rules is included with Pro, Business, and Enterprise. The free Starter plan and Starter+ can create and manage dynamic QR codes, while the date and scan-cap controls begin on Pro at $14 per month. Pro includes 300 active dynamic QR codes.
Does using Expire Rules remove QRLynx unlimited scans?
No. QRLynx plans include unlimited scans as the platform allowance. A maximum in Expire Rules is an optional campaign control chosen by the QR owner. If you set a cap, that QR becomes unavailable after the qualifying scan count reaches it. Analytics history is 3 Months on the free Starter plan, 1 Year on Starter+, 2 Years on Pro, 3 Years on Business, and Unlimited on Enterprise.
Can I set both an expiration date and a scan limit?
Yes. Turn on both controls for the same eligible dynamic QR. QRLynx stops the managed route at 00:00 UTC on the selected date or when the qualifying scan count reaches the maximum, whichever happens first.
What do visitors see after a QRLynx QR expires?
A known expired QRLynx short code shows the branded unavailable-code page. The current Expire Rules control does not collect a custom fallback URL. Plan a destination update before the cutoff when the campaign needs a different post-campaign page.
Can I reactivate the same printed QR code?
Yes. Extend or remove the expiry date, increase or remove the scan cap, and save the QR. The printed pattern and managed short code remain the same, so the route can resume after the updated data reaches the redirect cache.
Do my test scans count toward the maximum?
A qualifying human test scan can count. QRLynx does not currently provide a separate reset button for the expiry scan counter, so allow testing headroom or raise the maximum after testing. Recognized bots, link previews, and HEAD checks do not consume the cap.
Does a scan cap guarantee the first 100 people or 100 redemptions?
The cap measures qualifying scan requests, not unique identities, customers, tickets, or redeemed coupons. Use a dedicated ticketing or redemption system when each person or credential must be validated once.
What is the difference between Expire Rules and QR Scheduling?
Expire Rules stops a route at the start of a selected UTC calendar date or after a qualifying scan count. QR Scheduling defines a start and end date-time window. Use Scheduling when a launch or event must become available and unavailable at specified times.
Can I choose an exact expiration time in Expire Rules?
The current Expire Rules control accepts a calendar date and stores the cutoff as 00:00 UTC at the start of that date. Use QRLynx QR Scheduling when the campaign needs a selectable start or end date and time.
Continue with the right lifecycle guide
Use QR Scheduling for start and end date-time windows, Smart Redirect Rules for context-based destinations, and Do QR Codes Expire? for the general static, dynamic, provider, and account-lifecycle explanation.