Put your own domain on your QR codes
Every dynamic QR code encodes a short link, and that link has a domain in it. By default it's
ours. With a custom domain, it's yours: a code on your packaging reads
go.yourdomain.com/aB3xY9 instead of open-qr.link/aB3xY9, and the
brand doing the asking is the brand people already trust. Custom domains are part of
Reticle Pro.
Why the domain inside the code matters
When someone points a camera at a QR code, the first thing their phone shows is the link, and the only part of it a stranger can evaluate is the domain. People have learned to hesitate at short links they don't recognize, and they're right to. A domain they can read (yours) answers the question before it's asked. It also means every scan, every screenshot, and every printed card is a brand impression for you rather than for a link service.
How it works in Reticle
A Pro account attaches one domain it owns, either a subdomain like
go.yourdomain.com or a root domain. Once the domain is live, every new dynamic
link you create encodes it. Two rules keep printed material safe, and they're worth
understanding because everything else follows from them:
A link's address is fixed when the link is created. Codes you printed before
the domain went live keep working at open-qr.link, exactly as they are, forever.
And if you later cancel Pro, links on your domain keep their domain and keep serving: a printed
code is never broken by a plan change.
Setting it up
From your account page, open Custom domain, enter the hostname, and Reticle shows you the exact DNS records to add at your registrar, plus a live checklist that walks the whole thing: domain added, DNS records added, security certificate created, and finally certificate issued and ready for new codes. DNS changes and certificate issuance are usually minutes to a couple of hours; the status pill reads Live when scans will resolve on your domain.
Custom endings: name the path too
With a live domain you also get to choose the path of a new link. A table card can read
go.yourdomain.com/menu instead of ending in a random six-character code:
easier to trust, easier to say out loud, and easier to type if someone can't scan. Endings apply
to regular redirect links; contact-card links keep their unguessable minted address on purpose.
The one change that does break printed codes
Removing the domain from your account is destructive, and Reticle makes you confirm it in a way you can't do by accident. Because a link's address is fixed at creation, codes printed with your domain stop resolving if the domain is removed, and reprinting won't help. The links themselves stay in My codes with their destinations and scan history, but custom endings on the removed domain can't be restored. The rule of thumb: attach a domain when you're ready to commit to it, and remove one only if nothing printed depends on it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a paid plan to use my own domain?
Yes, custom domains are part of Reticle Pro ($12 a month or $99 a year). One domain attaches per account, and it can be a subdomain or a root domain you own.
Should I use a subdomain or my root domain?
A dedicated subdomain like go.yourdomain.com or qr.yourdomain.com is the usual choice: it leaves your main website's DNS untouched and reads clearly as a link domain. A root domain works too if you have one spare.
Will the QR codes I already printed change?
No. A link's address is fixed when the link is created, so codes made before your domain went live keep working at open-qr.link, exactly as they are. New links you create after the domain is live encode your domain instead.
What are custom link endings?
Once your domain is live you can also choose the path of a new link, so a printed code reads go.yourdomain.com/menu instead of a random six-character code. Endings are for regular redirect links; contact-card links keep their unguessable minted address on purpose.
What happens to my domain links if I cancel Pro?
They keep working. Links on your custom domain keep their domain and keep serving, so a printed code is never broken by a plan change. What lapses is the ability to create and edit Pro features, not the links themselves.
What happens if I remove the domain from my account?
That is the one destructive change, and Reticle warns you hard before it: any code you already printed with that domain stops working, and reprinting will not help, because a link's address is fixed when the link is created. The links themselves stay in My codes with their destinations and scan counts, and custom endings on the removed domain cannot be restored. Remove a domain only if nothing printed depends on it.
Ready to brand your codes? Open your account, upgrade to Reticle Pro, and attach your domain from the Custom domain panel. New links pick it up the moment it goes live.