Dynamic QR codes: edit the destination after you print
A normal QR code is permanent: the moment it's printed, the destination is locked in. A dynamic QR code breaks that rule. It encodes a short link you control, so you can change where it points whenever you like, long after the posters are up, and see how often it gets scanned.
Static vs dynamic: what's actually different
A static QR code stores your URL character for character inside the image itself. Nothing sits in the middle: it never expires, needs no account, and Reticle generates it entirely in your browser without uploading anything. The tradeoff is permanence. If the destination moves, every printed copy is now wrong.
A dynamic QR code stores a short redirect link instead, like
open-qr.link/a1b2c3. When someone scans it, that link forwards them to whatever
destination you've currently set. The printed image never changes; only the forwarding rule does.
As a bonus, the redirect can count scans, which a static code can't do by design.
There's a second, less obvious benefit: the encoded text is short and always the same length. A long URL full of parameters makes a dense, hard-to-scan code, while a dynamic code stays crisp no matter where it points. If the scanability tag under Reticle's preview says "Dense", switching to dynamic is often the easiest fix.
When to stay static
If the destination will never change, static is the better default: it's private (nothing is stored anywhere), free forever, and immune to anything happening to the redirect service. Business cards pointing at your homepage, a table tent for a permalink, Wi-Fi codes, contact cards: all great static candidates. Choose dynamic when the destination might change, when you're printing at real cost, or when you want to know whether anyone actually scans.
Create one in Reticle
- 1. Sign in. Dynamic links need an account so they belong to you; Google sign-in in the top right is all it takes. The free plan includes 3 links.
- 2. Switch the URL tab to Dynamic. On the URL type, flip the Static/Dynamic toggle. Paste your destination and Reticle previews the code live before you commit.
- 3. Create the link. Hit "Create dynamic link". You get a short open-qr.link address, and the preview switches to the real code.
- 4. Style and export. Colors, gradients, module shapes, a center logo, a "Scan me" frame: everything works exactly like a static code. The style is saved on the link itself, so you can re-download the same design later. Run Test scan to prove it reads, then download, copy, share, or print.
Managing links after printing
Everything lives under My codes: rename a link, edit its destination, copy the short URL, or download its PNG again in the exact style you saved. Each link shows its total scan count with a 30-day activity chart, so a poster campaign's performance is visible at a glance.
You can also switch a link off without deleting it. A paused link shows scanners a simple "turned off by its owner" page instead of redirecting, which is handy for a promotion that has ended; switch it back on and the same printed code springs back to life.
Reticle can also email you about scans: a one-time note the moment a link gets its first scan, plus a weekly digest summarizing activity across every link you own. Both are on by default for new links, so there's nothing to set up, and you can turn them off any time with the bell icon next to the link under My codes.
Beyond the totals: every scan, one row each Pro
The 30-day chart answers "how many". It cannot answer "which ones". On Reticle Pro, every dynamic link the account owns also keeps each scan as its own row: when it happened, an approximate city and country, whether the phone was iOS or Android, and which destination that particular scan was sent to. There is no per-link setting to hunt for; it applies to every dynamic link a Pro account owns.
Below is the Scan activity panel exactly as it appears under My codes. A free account sees this preview with sample rows; on Pro the same list fills with your own link's scans, newest first, 50 at a time.
Two questions a list like this settles in seconds: whether Tuesday's spike was one room full of people or fifty different cities, and whether the code taped in the shop window pulls iPhones or Android phones, which is the sort of thing that decides where a budget goes. If the link uses smart routing, the tag at the end of each row marks the scans a rule handled, so you can watch the setup working instead of assuming it does.
Frequently asked questions
Do dynamic QR links expire?
Not while you're using it. A dynamic link keeps working for as long as it exists in your account, is switched on, and gets at least occasional use. There is no renewal date, and a free link with no scans at all for 90 days is reclaimed after two email warnings; any scan, or one click, keeps it active, and Pro links are never reclaimed.
Can I turn a printed static QR code into a dynamic one?
No. A static code has its destination baked into the image, so a printed static code is permanent. To get an editable code you need to print a dynamic one in the first place, which is exactly why it pays to choose dynamic before a big print run.
How many dynamic links do I get for free?
The free plan includes 3 dynamic links. You can delete a link you no longer need to free up a slot.
What happens if I switch a link off?
Scans of a paused link see a simple page saying the link has been turned off by its owner, instead of being redirected. Switch it back on and the same printed code works again.
Can I see individual scans, or only totals?
Totals on every plan: each dynamic link shows its lifetime scan count, a 30-day chart, and breakdowns by device, hour, and country. Individual scans are part of Reticle Pro, $7 a month or $60 a year. On Pro every dynamic link the account owns records each scan on its own row, with the time, an approximate city and country, the device and OS, and which destination it was sent to, and you can export the whole list to CSV.
What data does a dynamic link store?
The destination URL you set, the code's saved style, and anonymous aggregate scan counts: totals by day, device class, hour, and country. On a free account that is all of it, with no per-scan records at all. On Pro, each scan is also kept individually for about 90 days, with an approximate city and country, the device and OS, and the site the scan came from. The scanner's IP address, raw user agent, and exact location are never stored on any plan, and static codes store nothing at all; they are generated entirely in your browser.
Will I get an email when someone scans a link?
Yes, by default. Reticle emails you once when a link gets its first scan, plus a weekly digest of scan activity across all your links. Both are on automatically for new links; turn them off any time with the bell icon next to the link under My codes.
Ready to try it? Open the Studio, choose Dynamic code, and your first editable code is a minute away. Free, 3 links included.