QR Codes

Linkzly's QR code feature lets you generate fully customized, trackable QR codes that are tied to your short links. Every QR code you create is dynamic — meaning the destination URL can be updated at any time without reprinting or redistributing the QR image. When you update a short link's destination, the QR code automatically points to the new URL. Scan analytics are included on every QR code, giving you detailed insight into how, when, and where your codes are being used.

What Are Dynamic QR Codes?

A static QR code permanently encodes a single URL into the image itself. If that URL ever needs to change, you must generate and reprint a new code. Dynamic QR codes work differently. The QR image encodes your Linkzly short link URL rather than the final destination. Because the short link's destination is controlled through Linkzly, you can update where users land at any time — without touching the QR image.

Key benefits:

Change the destination URL of any QR code at any time by editing its associated short link.
Reuse the same printed QR code across updated campaigns or seasonal promotions.
Full scan analytics are available for every code, with no additional setup required.

Note: QR codes must be linked to a short link — you cannot create a standalone QR code.

Creating a QR Code

In the left sidebar, click QR Codes.
Click the Create QR Code button in the top-right corner.
The QR Generator opens. Configure your QR code using the sections below, then click Save QR Code.

Basic Settings

Field	Description
Select Short Url	Required. Use the searchable dropdown to select an existing short link. The list shows each short code and its destination URL.
Format	The file format of the generated QR code image. See the format descriptions below.
Error Correction	Controls how much of the QR code can be obscured or damaged before it becomes unreadable. See the table below.
Size	Controls the output resolution in pixels. Use the slider or type a value directly. Range: 128–2,048 px. Default: 256 px. Use a higher value (1,024 px or above) for print materials.
Margin	The blank border surrounding the QR code. Range: 0–20 modules. Default: 4. The QR specification requires a quiet zone for reliable scanning — do not set this to 0.

Format options:

PNG — Raster image format. Best for web, email, and digital use. Default.
SVG — Vector format. Scales to any size without losing quality. Ideal for logos, large-format print, and design files.
PDF — Print-ready document. Suitable for direct use in print workflows.
WebP — Compressed raster format optimized for web delivery.

Error Correction levels:

Level	Recovery Capacity	Best For
Low	~7%	Clean, unobstructed surfaces in controlled environments. Produces the smallest QR code.
Medium	~15%	General use. A good balance of size and reliability. Default.
Quartile	~25%	Recommended when adding a logo overlay over the QR code.
High	~30%	Maximum resilience. Use on textured surfaces, fabric, or when the QR may be partially covered.

Visual Styling

Use the color pickers to set the foreground and background colors of your QR code.

Foreground Color — The color of the QR modules (the dark squares and patterns). Default: #000000 (black).
Background Color — The color of the space between modules. Default: #FFFFFF (white).

Tip: Always maintain high contrast between your foreground and background colors. Low-contrast combinations (such as dark blue on black, or light yellow on white) significantly reduce scanning reliability.

Enable the Enable Gradient toggle to apply a color gradient across the foreground:

Gradient Start — The color at the beginning of the gradient.
Gradient End — The color at the end of the gradient.
Gradient Direction — Choose from Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal, or Radial.

Pattern Style — The shape of all modules in the QR code body:

Option	Description
Square	Standard sharp-edged square modules. Default.
Rounded	Modules with softly rounded corners.
Dots	Circular dot modules.
Classy	Stylized circular corner modules throughout.
Classy Rounded	A combination of rounded and stylized modules.

Eye Pattern — The style of the three large corner detection squares that scanning apps use to locate the code. Options: Square (default), Rounded, Classy.

Corner Radius — Controls how rounded the individual QR modules are. Range: 0–50%. At 0%, modules are sharp squares. At 50%, modules are fully circular.

Logo & Branding

Add your brand logo directly on top of the QR code.

Logo URL — Paste a publicly accessible URL pointing to your logo image (e.g., https://example.com/logo.png). PNG or SVG format is recommended for best results.
Logo Size — Sets how much of the QR code area the logo occupies, as a percentage of the total width. Range: 10–40%. Default: 20%. This field appears once a Logo URL is entered.
Logo Background — Toggle on to add a padding block behind the logo. This improves contrast between the logo and the QR modules beneath it.
- Logo Background Color — Customize the padding color (default: white). Appears when the Logo Background toggle is on.

Important: When using a logo overlay, set Error Correction to Quartile or High. The logo covers part of the QR data, and higher error correction ensures the code remains scannable despite the obscured area.

Advanced Styling

Add visual framing to your QR code.

Border Width — Adds an outer border around the entire QR code. Range: 0–10 px. Default: 0 (no border). When the border width is greater than 0, a Border Color picker appears (default: black).
Enable Shadow toggle — Adds a drop shadow behind the QR code. When enabled:
- Shadow Color — The color of the shadow (color picker).
- Shadow Blur — The softness and spread of the shadow. Range: 0–20. Default: 4.

QR Code Tracking

Optionally append tracking parameters to every scan of this QR code. These parameters are passed through to your destination URL and appear in any analytics platform that supports UTM tracking (such as Google Analytics).

Campaign Name — Identifies the marketing campaign (e.g., spring-sale-2025).
Campaign Term — Identifies paid keywords or other targeting terms.
Campaign Content — Differentiates between multiple links in the same campaign (e.g., poster-version-a).
Tracking URL Preview — A read-only field that shows the full destination URL with your tracking parameters appended. Use the copy button to copy it to your clipboard.

Note: Every QR code scan automatically sets utm_source to qr. You do not need to set this manually.

Live Preview

The right panel of the QR Generator displays a real-time preview of your QR code. Every change you make to any setting — colors, patterns, logo, size, or effects — is reflected in the preview instantly. Use this to verify your design before saving.

Downloading a QR Code

You can download a QR code from the QR Codes list or from the preview dialog.

From the list: Click the Download icon button on any row. The file downloads immediately in that code's default format.
From the preview dialog: Open the preview by clicking the Eye icon or the thumbnail. Select your preferred format from the format dropdown (PNG, SVG, PDF, or WebP), then click Download.

The file is saved to your device as qr-code-{id}.{format}.

Format guidance for download:

For large-format print (banners, posters, signage): use SVG or PDF. These are resolution-independent and will remain crisp at any size.
For web and digital use (email, social media, websites): use PNG or WebP.

Managing QR Codes

The QR Codes list page displays all QR codes in your workspace in a table with the following columns:

Column	Description
Preview	A thumbnail of the QR code. Click it to open a full-size preview dialog.
Link	The title and destination URL of the associated short link, with a copy button.
Format	A badge showing the file format (PNG, SVG, PDF, or WebP).
Size	The output resolution in pixels.
Analytics	The total scan count and download count for the code.
Created	The date and time the QR code was created.
Actions	Quick-action icon buttons for this code (see below).

Per-Code Actions

Each row in the list provides the following icon buttons in the Actions column:

Eye icon — Opens a full-size preview dialog showing the QR code, its scan and download counts, and a format selector for downloading.
Chart icon — Opens the detailed analytics view for this QR code.
Pencil icon — Opens the QR Generator with this code's settings pre-loaded. You can update any visual property. The QR image URL and short link remain unchanged, so existing print materials and embedded uses continue to work without interruption.
Download icon — Downloads the QR code in its default format.
Trash icon — Permanently deletes the QR code. A confirmation prompt is shown before deletion. This action cannot be undone.

QR Code Analytics

Click the Chart icon on any QR code in the list to open the full analytics view for that code.

The analytics page provides:

Total scans — The overall number of times the QR code has been scanned.
Unique visitors — The number of distinct individuals who scanned the code.
Human scans vs. bot rate — A breakdown of real human scans versus automated traffic, so you can assess the quality of your scan data.
Scans over time — A time-series line chart showing scan volume across your selected date range. Supported ranges: Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 30 days, Last 90 days. You can also specify a custom date range.
Geographic breakdown — A world map and country table showing where scans originated.
Device types — A pie chart breaking down scans by device category (mobile, desktop, tablet).
Top browsers — The browsers used to open the scanned link, with percentage breakdowns.
Operating systems — OS distribution of people who scanned the code.
Top referrers — The app or source that initiated the scan (for example, the iOS camera app, a third-party QR reader, or a browser).
UTM campaign data — If you configured tracking parameters, this section shows a breakdown by campaign name, term, and content.
Recent activity — A live feed of the most recent individual scans, showing city, country, device, browser, and whether the scan was from a unique visitor.

You can export the analytics data for any QR code as a CSV file using the Export button in the top-right of the analytics view.

Best Practices

Test before printing. Always scan your QR code with at least two different devices and apps (for example, the native iOS camera app and an Android QR reader) before committing to a print run.
Use Error Correction Quartile or High with logos. A logo overlay covers part of the QR data. Higher error correction ensures the code remains scannable despite the covered area.
Minimum print size. Print your QR code at a minimum of 2 cm × 2 cm (approximately 0.8 in × 0.8 in). For wall signage or posters where scanning distance is greater, larger is better.
High-contrast color combinations scan most reliably. Dark modules on a light background — especially classic black on white — give scanners the best signal. Avoid combinations with similar brightness levels.
Use SVG for large-format print. SVG files scale without any loss of sharpness, making them the right choice for banners, posters, and any output larger than a business card.
Keep destinations live. Because your QR code points to a short link, you control the destination. If a URL changes, update it in Linkzly rather than reprinting. Verify the destination remains live periodically.