When a QR code target disappears: nightly checks with email alerts

A QR code on a poster works as long as its target page exists. If the page is deleted, renamed, or the website is restructured, scanners end up on an error page. This often goes unnoticed internally, because who scans their own posters? That is why an automatic check is worth it.

What is checked at night

Every night, the target of each link QR code is accessed once. The system does not read the entire website, only the specific address, with a pause between two requests to the same server. A target is considered dead if:

• the server reports that the page does not exist (404) or has been removed (410), or
• the page is unreachable on two consecutive nights.

A single interruption does not count; maintenance windows and brief outages are part of everyday life. Responses such as “no access” (401, 403) are also not considered dead, as a visitor can usually still see the page.

What happens next

If a target is dead, the system re-scans the website and looks for matching pages. You receive exactly one email per broken target, with suggestions. In the dashboard, the QR code shows “Target unreachable”, with a notice at the top saying “View suggestions”. Nothing is applied automatically; you decide. If you change the target, the check starts over.

What you can do yourself

The best way to avoid issues is to ensure that pages never disappear in the first place:

• Do not delete pages with QR codes; instead, use a 301 redirect
• Create a list of all destinations for printed codes before a relaunch
• Give destinations descriptive names so it is clear where each code is placed
• Scan a few of your printed codes yourself after any major redesign

Who the check applies to

The nightly check applies to link QR codes in plans with website connectivity, starting from Gastro Pro and across all Marketing plans. Pages you build directly in Same-QR cannot disappear as long as you do not delete them.

Conclusion

Dead destinations are the most common reason why a qr code not working issue occurs with printed QR codes. A nightly check with email alerts and suggestions ensures that you find out about it before your customers do. Learn more at sameqr.com.

Frequently asked questions