Control When a QR Code Is Available
Set one exact start time, end time, or both for an eligible dynamic QR code. QRLynx checks the window when the code is scanned and shows a branded unavailable page outside it.
Selected QR Code Type
What QRLynx QR Scheduling Does
QRLynx QR Scheduling gives an eligible dynamic QR code one absolute availability window. You can set a start only, an end only, or both. Before the start and after the end, the same printed code opens a branded QR Code Unavailable page instead of the destination.
Scheduling is included with Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans. It applies to saved dynamic QR codes that support the feature. GS1 Digital Link QR codes do not support ordinary scheduling. The schedule controls availability, while the dynamic destination remains editable from your account without reprinting the QR.
Three Ways to Define the Window
Choose only the boundary the campaign needs.
Start time only
Keep the QR unavailable until the chosen instant, then leave it active with no scheduled end.
End time only
Make the QR available immediately and stop access after the chosen instant.
Start and end
Open one defined campaign window. QRLynx requires the end to be later than the start.
No active schedule
Turn both scheduling controls off when the QR should follow its normal active state without a time window.
How to Schedule a QR Code in QRLynx
Create the dynamic QR first, then add the window to the saved code.
Create or open an eligible dynamic QR code
Use the QRLynx generator or open a saved code from your account. Scheduling requires Pro or a higher plan and is not available for GS1 Digital Link QR codes.
Open the Scheduling control
From the saved QR edit page, open Scheduling. Enable Start Date & Time, End Date & Time, or both.
Enter the times in your local timezone
The editor shows the browser timezone and converts each local date and time to a UTC instant for storage.
Check the order of the boundaries
When both controls are enabled, make sure the end is later than the start. QRLynx blocks an invalid reversed or equal window.
Save and review the dashboard status
Save the schedule, then use the Scheduling page to review the start, end, and Scheduled, Active, or Ended status.
Test inside and outside the intended window
Before distributing the QR, confirm the destination during the active window and the unavailable state outside it. Test the same printed or downloaded QR that people will scan.
Choose the Right QRLynx Availability Control
Scheduling, Expire Rules, manual pause, and Smart Redirects solve different jobs.
| Control | Use it for | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| QR Scheduling | One start-to-end availability window | The destination opens only inside the saved date-time window |
| Expire Rules | A UTC calendar-date cutoff or qualifying scan-count limit | The QR becomes unavailable after the rule is reached and can resume if the rule is changed or removed |
| Manual pause | An immediate owner decision | The QR stops resolving until it is reactivated |
| Smart Redirects | Different destinations by device, country, date, or recurring UTC time | The QR remains available and selects a destination from matching rules |
Campaigns That Need One Availability Window
Use scheduling when access should open or close at a known instant.
Event registration
Open registration at the announced launch time and close the code when registration ends.
Limited promotion
Keep printed campaign material inactive until the promotion begins, then end access at the stated cutoff.
Timed resource release
Prepare a printed QR before a guide, form, or event resource should become available.
Temporary venue access
Limit a directions, check-in, or information destination to one defined event period.
Timezone, Status, and Scan Behavior
The Scheduling editor accepts date and time in the timezone reported by your browser. QRLynx converts that value to UTC for storage, so the campaign has one global start or end instant. When the saved time is displayed later, it is formatted for the current viewer's local timezone. This is not a separate schedule for every scanner's local clock.
The account Scheduling page lists each scheduled QR with its start, end, and current status. A missing start appears as Immediately; a missing end appears as No end. You can return to the QR edit page to change or remove either boundary.
Outside the window, the redirect worker returns the branded unavailable page. Those attempts do not enter the normal successful-scan analytics path. QRLynx may record a separate deduplicated deactivated-scan event for the owner, but it is not the same as a normal destination visit.
Plan the window
Create the dynamic QR before you schedule it
Build the destination and design first, save the dynamic QR, then add the exact start or end time from its edit page.
QRLynx QR Scheduling Questions
Answers about access, timing, availability, editing, and related controls.
Which QRLynx plans include QR Scheduling?
QR Scheduling is included with Pro, Business, and Enterprise. The feature applies cumulatively to those plans and requires an eligible saved dynamic QR code.
Can I set only a start time?
Yes. Enable only Start Date & Time to keep the QR unavailable before the chosen instant and active afterward with no scheduled end.
Can I set only an end time?
Yes. Enable only End Date & Time to make the QR available immediately and stop destination access after the chosen instant.
What happens when both times are set?
The QR destination is available inside one start-to-end window. QRLynx requires the end to be later than the start and rejects an equal or reversed window.
Which timezone does QR Scheduling use?
The editor shows your browser's local timezone and converts the entered value to UTC for storage. The saved schedule represents one global instant, not a different local time for every scanner.
What does someone see outside the scheduled window?
The same printed QR opens a branded QR Code Unavailable page before the start or after the end. QRLynx does not currently provide a custom teaser page or custom fallback destination for this scheduling control.
Do outside-window scans appear as normal analytics?
No. The scheduling gate runs before the normal successful-scan analytics path. QRLynx may record a separate deduplicated deactivated-scan event for the owner, but it is not a normal destination visit.
Can I edit or remove a schedule?
Yes. Open the QR edit page, change either boundary, or turn both controls off and save. The printed dynamic QR remains the same.
Can QR Scheduling repeat every day or week?
No. QR Scheduling currently defines one absolute start or end window. For recurring UTC time or date-based destination selection, use Smart Redirects when its rule model fits the campaign.
How is QR Scheduling different from Expire Rules?
Scheduling uses exact date-time boundaries for availability before, inside, and after one window. Expire Rules use a UTC calendar-date cutoff or qualifying scan-count limit. Both can be changed or removed later.
Can I schedule a GS1 Digital Link QR code?
No. QRLynx GS1 Digital Link QR codes do not support ordinary QR Scheduling. Use scheduling only with an eligible dynamic QR type.