Canva QR code not working or expired? How to fix it

Two kinds of QR code in a Canva design

Knowing which one you have decides what can be fixed.

Neither kind expires on a timer. What people usually mean by "my Canva QR code expired" is that the page it pointed to moved, the trial link behind it ended, or the design was re-exported and the code no longer reads.

The code does not scan at all

When the pattern itself fails, it is nearly always something that happened to it in the layout:

• Scaled too small. Print at least 2 cm (0.8 in) square for a code held close to a phone, and scanning distance ÷ 10 beyond that.
• Stretched. A QR code must stay square. Hold Shift while resizing so the proportions are kept.
• Placed on a photo or a gradient. The code needs a plain, light area behind it.
• Recoloured badly. Dark pattern on a light background. A light code on a dark background is read by far fewer phones.
• Crowded or cropped. Leave clear space on all four sides, about 10% of the code's width, and keep it away from the trim edge and any fold.
• Exported small. Export the design as a PDF for print rather than a small JPEG, so the pattern's edges stay crisp.

If it still fails, work through what to check when the camera sees the code but nothing happens.

It scans but goes to the wrong place

Here the pattern is fine and the destination is the problem, and the fix depends on which kind of code it is.

• A Canva QR element. The address is inside the pattern, so it cannot be repointed. Put a redirect in place at the old address if you control it; otherwise the design has to be updated and anything printed reprinted.
• A QRCodeStack code. Open it in the dashboard, click Edit, change the destination and click Update ✓. Every copy already printed or shared follows immediately.
• It opens one of our pages — QR Code Unavailable, QR Code Expired or This page is taking a short break. That is a QRCodeStack code with a setting or a plan getting in the way; see what each scan-time error page means.

Making a Canva QR code editable

Add the code through the QRCodeStack app instead of the built-in element, and it stays editable for the life of the design.

1. In your Canva design, open Apps and search for QRCodeStack.
2. Click Connect QRCodeStack and sign in. You can create an account from that screen if you do not have one.
3. Use the Create tab to build a Website or URL code without leaving Canva — pick a design theme, add a frame or a logo if you want one, then click Create & add to design. Other QR types are built on the QRCodeStack site and then inserted.
4. Use the My codes tab to search codes you already have and click Add to drop one into the design.

More detail on the app itself is in using QRCodeStack inside Canva, and the overview lives on our QR codes for Canva page.

Common problems

"This QR code has no image. Regenerate it from the dashboard."

The code exists but has no saved image to insert. Open it on the QRCodeStack site, make any change on the design step and save, then insert it again.

"Adding elements is not supported in this design type."

Some Canva design types do not accept image elements. Create the code, download it from the dashboard and place the file manually.

The logo is rejected

Logos uploaded inside Canva have to be under 200 KB. Compress the file, or build the code on the QRCodeStack site where the limit is higher, then insert it from My codes.

Frequently asked questions