QR codes
Every QR code you create in Track Link encodes one of your tracked links. When someone scans it, they go through your link's redirect — so each scan shows up in your analytics as a click, with device, country, and city data.
How scan tracking works
A QR code is just a URL printed as a pattern. Track Link encodes your short link (for example gettrack.link/r/spring-sale) into the code. When someone scans it with their phone camera:
- Their phone opens your short link
- Track Link records the visit as a click — device type, browser, OS, country, region, and city
- They land on your destination URL
No app is needed on the scanner's side — the standard camera app works. Scans appear in the same analytics as regular clicks, on the link's detail page and the Analytics page.
Dynamic by design: because the QR encodes your short link, not the destination, you can change the destination later without reprinting anything. The printed code keeps working.
Create a QR code
- Go to QR Codes in the sidebar and click Create QR Code
- Step 1 — pick the link.
Use the Use existing link tab to search your links by name, slug, or URL, or switch to Create new link and enter a destination URL and a name. Links that already have a saved QR design show a small "Has QR" badge — picking one loads that design for editing.
- Step 2 — design it.
Customize the style, colors, and logo (details below). The live preview updates as you go.
- Click Save QR Code. The design is stored with the link, so you can come back and re-download it any time.
You can also open the QR editor from the Links page — every redirect link has a QR option. Pixels can't have QR codes because they have no destination URL.
Design options
Templates
Eight one-click starting points: Classic, Modern Dots, Dark Mode, Gradient Blue, Business Card, Marketing, Social Media, and Print Ready. A template sets the dot style, colors, error correction, and quiet zone in one go — you can still tweak everything afterwards.
Style
- Dot style — Squares (classic), Dots (rounded), or Fluid (connected)
- Error correction — L (7%), M (15%), Q (25%), or H (30%). Higher levels keep the code scannable when part of it is covered or damaged
- Quiet zone — the empty margin around the code, 0–50px. Keep at least the default 10px for reliable scanning
Colors
- Eight color presets (Classic, Indigo, Purple, Sky, Emerald, Dark, Navy, Rose)
- Custom foreground and background colors — pick from the color wheel or enter a hex code
- Optional custom eye color for the three corner squares, plus an eye radius slider (0–50) to round them
Contrast matters: keep the foreground clearly darker than the background (or the reverse for dark-mode codes). Low-contrast color pairs scan poorly, especially in print.
Logo
- Upload a PNG, JPG, SVG, or WebP up to 1 MB — it's resized and stored for you
- Logo size from 10% to 40% of the code
- Padding around the logo (0–20px) in a square or circle shape
- The QR modules behind the logo are removed automatically so it stays clean
When using a logo, switch error correction to H (30%) — the logo covers part of the code, and high error correction compensates for it.
Download formats
Pick a size — 256, 512, 1024, or 2048 pixels — then download in any of four formats:
| Format | Best for |
|---|---|
| PNG | General use — sharp, supports transparency |
| JPG | Places that only accept JPG (background is filled in automatically) |
| WebP | Web pages — smallest file size |
| SVG | Design tools and layouts that want an SVG file |
For print, download at 1024 or 2048 — a small file printed large gets blurry, not the other way round. The saved size is remembered with the design.
QR codes on your own domain
If you've set up a custom domain, you can encode it into the QR instead of the default domain. Open the QR editor from the Links page — a domain selector at the top lets you switch between the default short URL and yourdomain.com/r/<slug>.
Pick the domain before printing. The URL is baked into the QR pattern. Switching domains later produces a different code — already-printed codes keep pointing at the URL they were generated with.
Managing your QR codes
- The QR Codes page lists every link with a saved QR design, with a preview, click count, and quick actions
- Edit reopens the designer with the saved settings
- Download grabs a PNG straight from the card
- Remove deletes only the QR design — the link itself, and all its click history, stays intact
What you can change after printing
| Change | Printed codes still work? |
|---|---|
| Destination URL | Yes — this is the main benefit of a tracked QR |
| Link name, QR colors, logo | Yes — cosmetic only |
| Link slug | No — the old URL stops resolving |
| Deactivating the link | No — scans stop redirecting until you reactivate it |
Tips for reliable scanning
- Test-scan the final artwork with a couple of different phones before a print run
- Print at least 2 × 2 cm for close-range scanning; bigger if it hangs on a wall
- Keep the quiet zone — don't let surrounding artwork touch the code
- Use the Print Ready template for flyers and posters: high contrast, H-level error correction, large quiet zone
- Avoid placing QR codes on curved or glossy surfaces where reflections break scans
FAQ
Do scans count toward my monthly click limit?
Yes. A scan is a click — it goes through the same redirect and counts against the same monthly quota as any other click. See Plans & limits for the numbers.
Can I use QR codes on the free plan?
Yes — the full designer and all download formats are available on every plan. Note that on the free plan, visitors (including scanners) see a short branded notice page for about two seconds before reaching your destination. Paid plans redirect instantly.
Is there a limit on how many QR codes I can create?
A QR design is attached to a link, so the practical limit is your plan's link limit. One link holds one saved QR design.
Can I tell scans apart from normal clicks?
The cleanest way is to dedicate a link to the QR — then every click on that link is a scan. If the same link is also shared elsewhere, scans and taps are mixed in the same click stream.
Next steps
- Set up a custom domain - Put your own domain inside the QR
- Track conversions - Measure what happens after the scan
- Campaigns & revenue - Roll QR traffic into campaign ROI
Need help?
Questions about QR codes? Contact us at [email protected]