Disable or Enable a QR Code

Why Would You Disable a QR Code?

Disabling a QR code lets you instantly stop it from working without deleting it or losing your analytics data. Because Lifetime QR Codes QR codes are dynamic, the printed or distributed code itself never changes — only the destination behind it does. This means you can turn a code off and on again at any time, even after it has been printed on packaging, signage, or marketing materials.

Common reasons to disable a QR code include:

• Campaign ended — A promotional campaign has concluded and you no longer want to drive traffic to the landing page.
• Product recalled — A product has been recalled and you need to immediately prevent scanners from reaching outdated product information.
• Temporary pause — You are updating the destination content and want to avoid sending users to an incomplete or broken page during the transition.
• Seasonal content — Content is only relevant during certain periods (e.g., a holiday promotion) and should be inactive the rest of the year.
• Abuse prevention — The code is being scanned in an unexpected or abusive way and you need to take it offline quickly.

How to Disable a QR Code

1. Go to My QR Codes in your Lifetime QR Codes dashboard.
2. Find the QR code you want to disable.
3. Click the three-dot menu (or open the code editor) and select Disable.
4. Confirm the action when prompted.

The code will immediately show as Inactive in your dashboard. Any scan of the physical QR code will no longer reach the original destination.

You can also disable a code from inside the editor by navigating to Advanced Settingsand toggling the Active / Inactive switch to the off position.

What Scanners See When a Code Is Disabled

You have two options for what happens when someone scans a disabled QR code:

• Default message — Lifetime QR Codes displays a branded page informing the scanner that this QR code is currently inactive. The message reads something like: "This QR code is no longer active. Please contact the issuer for more information."
• Custom redirect URL — You can specify a fallback URL that scanners are redirected to when the code is inactive. This is useful if you want to send users to a "campaign ended" page, a homepage, or a support contact page instead of a generic inactive message.

To configure the fallback URL, open the code editor, go to Advanced Settings, and enter a URL in the Inactive Redirect URL field before disabling the code.

Re-enabling a QR Code

Re-enabling a disabled QR code is just as easy as disabling it. Simply return to My QR Codes, locate the inactive code (you can filter by status), and click Enable from the three-dot menu — or toggle the Active / Inactive switch back on inside the editor.

The code resumes normal operation instantly. All historical scan data is preserved during the inactive period and will continue to accumulate once the code is re-enabled.

Bulk Disable

If you need to disable multiple QR codes at once — for example, at the end of a large campaign where dozens of codes were deployed — you can use the bulk management tools.

1. Go to My QR Codes and select the codes you want to disable using the checkboxes.
2. Click the Bulk Actions button in the toolbar.
3. Select Disable Selected from the dropdown.
4. Confirm the action.

All selected codes will be set to inactive simultaneously. This is particularly useful for teams managing large QR code portfolios across multiple campaigns or product lines.