How To Apply Advanced Settings to a QR Code

What Are Advanced Settings?

Advanced Settings are optional per-code configurations that go beyond the basic URL destination and design of a QR code. They let you control who can scan it, when it is active, how many times it can be scanned, and what tracking data is collected. Each setting is applied independently and can be changed at any time without regenerating or reprinting your QR code.

Advanced Settings are available on all dynamic QR code types. Static QR codes encode all data directly into the pattern and cannot be updated after creation, so Advanced Settings do not apply to them.

Where to Find the Advanced Settings Tab

1. Log in to your Lifetime QR Codes dashboard.
2. Open My QR Codes and find the code you want to configure, or start creating a new QR code.
3. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) on the QR code card.
4. Inside the QR code editor, look for the tab row at the top of the panel. Click the Advanced Settings tab.
5. The Advanced Settings panel will open, showing all available toggles and inputs for that QR code type.

Advanced Settings are also accessible during the initial creation flow. After you have set up the content and design of a new QR code, you will reach the Advanced Settings step before saving.

All Available Advanced Settings

The following settings are available in the Advanced Settings tab. Not every setting applies to every QR code type — the panel will show only the settings relevant to your specific code type.

• GPS Tracking — Requests the scanner's precise device location when they open the QR code. If the user grants permission, their latitude and longitude are recorded and plotted on the analytics scan map. Scans where permission is denied fall back to standard IP-based location.
• Password Protection — Requires scanners to enter a password before accessing the QR code destination. Useful for private content or internal documents.
• Scan Limit — Sets a maximum number of total scans the code will accept. Once the limit is reached, additional scanners are shown a customizable "limit reached" message instead of the destination.
• Schedule Campaign — Defines a date and time range during which the QR code is active. Scans outside the scheduled window show a "not yet active" or "expired" message. Useful for time-limited promotions, event campaigns, or seasonal offers.
• UTM Parameters — Appends standard UTM tracking parameters (source, medium, campaign, term, content) to the destination URL. This lets Google Analytics and other analytics platforms attribute traffic coming from your QR code correctly.
• Age Restriction — Displays an age verification gate before the destination, requiring scanners to confirm they meet the minimum age requirement. Commonly used for alcohol, tobacco, or adult content.
• Disable / Enable — Manually turns the QR code off or on. A disabled code shows a customizable inactive message to any scanner. Re-enabling restores normal function instantly without any changes to the printed code.

How to Save Advanced Settings

After configuring your desired settings in the Advanced Settings tab, click the Save button at the bottom of the panel. Changes are applied immediately to the live QR code — there is no publishing step or delay.

You can return to the Advanced Settings tab at any time to adjust, add, or remove settings. Because Lifetime QR Codes uses dynamic QR codes, the printed code never changes — only the behavior behind it updates.

Settings That Apply Immediately vs. On the Next Scan

Most Advanced Settings take effect as soon as you save them. However, there is a subtle distinction worth understanding:

• Apply immediately — Disable/Enable, Password Protection, Age Restriction, and Scan Limit all take effect the moment you save. Any scanner who opens the code after you save will experience the new configuration.
• Apply on the next scan — Schedule Campaign activates and deactivates based on the clock, so it is always time-dependent rather than save-dependent. UTM Parameters are appended on each scan redirect, so they apply from the next scan forward once saved. GPS Tracking begins requesting location data from the next scan forward.

In practice, the distinction rarely matters since saved changes propagate within seconds. If you need a setting active at a precise moment, save it a few minutes before that moment.

Combining Multiple Advanced Settings

All Advanced Settings can be enabled simultaneously on the same QR code. Lifetime QR Codes applies them in a logical order designed to give scanners a clear experience:

1. Schedule check — If the code is outside its active schedule window, the scanner sees the inactive message and nothing else is evaluated.
2. Disable check — If the code is manually disabled, the scanner sees the inactive message.
3. Scan Limit check — If the limit has been reached, the scanner sees the limit message.
4. Age Restriction gate — If age restriction is enabled, the scanner must confirm their age.
5. Password gate — If password protection is enabled, the scanner must enter the password.
6. GPS location request — If GPS tracking is enabled, the browser prompts for location permission.
7. Redirect — The scanner is sent to the destination URL, with any configured UTM parameters appended.

Example: a time-limited event promotion could use Schedule Campaign (active only during event hours), Scan Limit (cap total redemptions), and UTM Parameters (track event traffic in Google Analytics) — all at once on the same code.