A PDF QR code that doesn't expire (and one that does, when you say so)
When a printed QR code stops opening your PDF, the pattern is rarely to blame: it's where the file lives. Here's what it depends on and how PDF QR Conversor handles it, an Android app that keeps the file in your own Google Drive.
Make my QR on Google Play
Why a code that worked yesterday stops working
The code itself never expires: it's a pattern that stores an address. What disappears is whatever is on the other end. The usual reasons are three:
- The file sat on someone else's server with a time limit. Some web generators delete uploads after a few days or cap how many times they open. Their terms say so, but hardly anyone reads them before printing.
- The code went through a middleman. Some services' codes don't point to your file but to an address of theirs that redirects. If that service is switched off, for instance when a trial or plan ends, the printed code leads nowhere.
- The file was deleted or its sharing changed. It happens with any cloud: if it's no longer visible to anyone with the link, the person scanning sees "Request access".
How it works in PDF QR Conversor
The app uploads the file to its own folder in your Google Drive, and the code goes straight to that file's Drive link, without passing through a server of ours. There's no deadline on our side: the code opens your PDF as long as the file stays in your Drive and stays visible to anyone with the link.
What can break it is up to you:
- Deleting the file from Drive, or emptying the trash with it inside.
- Switching its access to "Restricted" by hand in Drive.
- Deleting the Google account that holds it.
Renaming it or moving it to another folder in Drive doesn't change its link.
When you want it to expire: an end date
Sometimes you want the opposite: a code for an offer, a sign-up or a document that's only valid until a certain day. With PRO, in "My QRs" → "Privacy and access", switch on "Turn off on a date". From that day nobody can open it, and you can turn it back on in the same place, with the same printed code.
One practical detail: the app is what closes access that day, from your phone. It needs to stay installed, and if the phone is offline, it does it as soon as it's back online.
When you don't want just anyone to open it
By default, anyone who scans the code can open it without signing in, which is what you want for a menu, a flyer or a poster. With PRO you can change that:
- Only people you choose. Add their emails; they'll have to sign in with that Google account, and Drive emails them the link.
- No downloads. Switch off "Allow download, print and copy" and they can only view it in Google Drive.
The app doesn't put a password on the code. If what you need is to keep it from the wrong people, limit access to specific accounts.
What if the PDF changes?
A code that never expires has one risk: it keeps opening an old version. With PRO's dynamic codes you replace the file and the printed code opens the new one, as explained in dynamic vs static QR codes. Previous versions are kept in case you need one back.
Common questions
How long does a code made with the app last?
There's no expiry date on our side. It works as long as the file stays in your Google Drive with access for anyone who has the link.
Does it stop working if I stop paying for PRO?
The code leads to your file's Drive link, not to a server of ours, and the file stays in your Drive. What PRO adds are the options, such as changing the content or setting an end date.
Can I put a password on the QR code?
No. With PRO you can let only the Google accounts you choose open it, or block downloads.
What happens if my Google Drive fills up?
Codes you already have keep opening their files. You just can't upload new files until you free up space.
Can I turn an expired code back on?
Yes, if you turned it off with an end date: go back to "Privacy and access" and switch it back on. If you deleted the file, that code has nowhere to go.