How do I create my first dynamic QR code?
Updated September 14, 2026 · 3 min read
Click Create new in the sidebar, then Create a QR Code. The wizard has three steps — Type, Content, QR Design. Pick a type, leave the toggle on Dynamic, paste your destination, choose a design, then click Download ✓. The code is saved to My QR Codes with its redirect built in, so you can change the destination later without reprinting.
In this video
Video transcript
Here is how to create a dynamic QR code you can edit and track. The printed pattern never changes, the destination does, and every scan is counted.
A dynamic code encodes a redirect, never the content. So it is editable. Change the destination and the printed code still works. It is trackable. Total scans, unique visitors, and devices. And it saves reprints when the link, the menu or the number changes.
In the dashboard, click Create new, then Create a QR Code. Pick URL and leave it on Dynamic. Name the code, paste the destination, choose a theme, then Download. The code is saved with its redirect built in.
Open the code to see its analytics. Total scans, unique visitors, average per day and active devices. Scans are split into people and not counted, so bots and link previews never inflate the number.
To change where it points, click Edit, replace the URL, then click Update. The pattern on the poster is unchanged. The next scan goes to the new page.
Three things before you print. First, scan the downloaded file with your own phone. Second, name each code by where it will hang, so the analytics reads like a map. Third, a dynamic code resolves while your account is active, so keep the subscription running for as long as the print is out there.
Try it on the seven-day free trial. No credit card, five dynamic QR codes. Link in the description.
Steps in the dashboard
- Open the wizard. In the sidebar, click Create new → Create a QR Code.
- Pick a type. Under Select QR Code Type the grid shows the first 15 types; click More to see the rest. URL is the usual starting point.
- Leave the toggle on Dynamic. The two tabs beside the grid read Dynamic and Static. Dynamic means "content can be updated anytime without changing the QR code". Some types only offer one mode, and a tooltip says so.
- Click Next → to reach Content.
- Name the code. The first field is QR Code Name. It is optional, but a name like "Front window poster" makes the analytics readable later.
- Fill in the content. Under Basic Information, enter the details for your type — for URL, that is the destination link.
- Click Next → to reach QR Design. Pick a theme, a frame, dot and corner colours, and a logo if you want one. The preview updates as you go.
- Click Download ✓. The Save as... dialog opens: choose PNG, JPEG, SVG or PDF, pick a size or page format, then Download.
You can build the whole thing before signing in. The wizard keeps what you entered and asks you to sign in or sign up at the final button.
What happens after you download
The code appears in QR Codes in the sidebar. Open it and you get the redirect URL with a copy button, an action row with Edit, Download, Archive, Move to folder and Full analytics, and its scan history.
Because it is dynamic, Edit reopens the same wizard with the saved code loaded. Change the destination, click Update ✓, and the printed pattern keeps working — the next scan goes to the new address. See editing a QR code's destination for the detail.
Scans start counting on the first scan. Totals, unique visitors, devices, browsers and countries all appear on the code's page and in Analytics. For the background on why a dynamic code can be edited and counted, read static vs dynamic QR codes.
Before you print
- Scan the downloaded file with your own phone before the print run, not the on-screen preview.
- Name each code by where it will hang, so the analytics reads like a map of your placements.
- Download SVG or PDF for print. Both are vector and scale to any size; PNG and JPEG are for screens and small labels.
- Keep the account active. A dynamic code resolves through us, so scans stop working if the subscription lapses.
Common problems
The Next button does nothing
A required field is empty or invalid. A toast names the problem — "Pick a QR code type to continue", "Please enter a valid URL", "Please fix the highlighted fields to continue" — and the offending field is highlighted.
The Dynamic tab is greyed out
That type is static-only. Barcode and 2D Barcode are always static; a tooltip on the tab explains which mode a type supports.
I only get a low-quality PNG
Downloads drop to a single 512 × 512 PNG when there is no active plan or trial. Subscribe and the Save as... dialog gives you JPEG, PNG, SVG and PDF at up to 4096 px.
Changing the type cleared my content
Switching type clears the content and any uploaded files for the previous type. Choose the type first, then fill in the details.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to choose dynamic?
No, but static codes need a paid plan and cannot be edited or tracked. Dynamic is the default and is what the trial gives you.
How many codes do I get on the free trial?
Five dynamic QR codes for seven days, with no card. Static codes are not included in the trial.
Can I change the type after creating the code?
You can, but the saved content is cleared when you do. The dynamic-or-static mode cannot be changed at all after creation.
Does the QR image change when I edit the destination?
No. The pattern encodes a redirect, not your link, so the printed code stays valid.
Is the name shown to people who scan it?
No. The name is only used in your dashboard and in analytics.
Related articles
Static vs dynamic QR codes in QRCodeStack: which should I choose?
Dynamic encodes a redirect, so it can be edited and tracked. Static embeds the content in the pattern: no edits, no analytics, and it needs a paid plan.
How do I edit a QR code's destination after printing?
Open the code, click Edit, change the destination on the Content step and click Update. The printed pattern keeps working. Static codes cannot be edited.
Can I download my QR code as SVG, PDF or another vector format?
Yes. Open the code, click Download, and pick SVG in the Save as... dialog. JPEG, PNG and PDF are there too. Paid plans and the free trial get all four.
How do I read my QR code scan analytics?
Open Analytics in the sidebar, pick a date range, and read Total Scans, Unique Visitors, Avg Scans/Day and Active Devices. Only dynamic codes report scans.
How do I create a URL QR code?
Pick URL on the Type step, paste your link into Website URL, style it, then click Download. A dynamic URL code stays editable after printing.
Still stuck?
Email support@qrcodestack.com with the email on your account and, if it is about one code, its name or short link. A person replies within one business day, usually sooner.