Delete or redirect QR code? What happens to printed QR codes

What deleting means

If you delete a QR code, you delete the redirect behind it for a dynamic QR code. Every printed copy stops working at that moment. At Same-QR, the identifier along with the short link will never be assigned again, so that an old sticker does not suddenly point to something foreign. This is secure, but permanent.

Better: Change target

In most cases, changing the target is the better solution:

• An event is over: Set the target to the current offer or the menu.
• A seasonal business closes: Set the target to a page with opening hours and the date for the start of the season.
• An event is over: Set the target to a recap or the date next year.

If someone scans an old flyer, they do not end up in a void, but with you. In the free plan, the number of target changes per QR code is limited, not in the paid plans.

Take hosted pages offline

If a QR code points to a hosted guest page from Same-QR, there is a middle way: Take the page offline. It remains saved as a draft, and anyone scanning the QR code sees a notice that it is currently unavailable. Next season, you publish it again, and the QR code works immediately.

Step by step via CLI and assistant

Using the command line sameqr:

sameqr qr update <id> --url https://example.com/aktuelles-angebot
sameqr seite publish offer/herbstaktion --offline
sameqr seite publish offer/herbstaktion

The first command changes the target, the second takes an action page offline, the third brings it back online. For changing the target and going offline, you need a "full" key; the CLI asks for it beforehand. With ChatGPT or Claude and Same-QR as a connector, one sentence is enough: "Redirect all QR codes with the label Summer Promotion to our menu and show me the list first."

If deletion is necessary

Sometimes deleting is correct, for example with a test QR code that was never printed. You need a "full" key. The CLI asks in the terminal; in scripts without a terminal, it only works with explicit --yes. Assistants must ask you and send the current status; otherwise, Same-QR rejects it.

sameqr qr delete <id> --yes

Never delete a QR code unless you are certain it is not printed anywhere.

Conclusion: why Same-QR

Same-QR protects your printed QR codes: you can change targets at any time, take guest pages offline and back online, and deletion only occurs with explicit confirmation. A deleted short link is never reassigned. This ensures that every QR code hanging somewhere remains under your control.

Try it yourself: sign up for free at sameqr.com. 20 dynamic QR codes are free forever, no credit card needed, the paid plans can be cancelled monthly, and your guests never see ads when they scan.

Frequently asked questions