Static vs dynamic QR codes: which should you use?

What is a static QR code?

A static QR encodes the information a phone reads directly. A Wi-Fi QR contains network details and a vCard QR contains contact details. The phone can use that data without first opening a log.my short link.

The encoded information is fixed. You can change your Wi-Fi password or phone number in real life, but a printed QR still holds the old data. You must generate and distribute a new code. Direct QR downloads made in log.my are not saved as tracked creations.

A static QR can hold an ordinary website address in general. In the current log.my Studio, website URLs use editable QR links instead; the Direct QR options are Wi-Fi and vCard.

For help choosing between contact paths, compare WhatsApp QR, vCard and editable contact pages.

Reference: DENSO WAVE: What is a QR Code?

What is a dynamic QR code?

A dynamic QR points to a short log.my URL. When someone opens that URL, log.my redirects them to the destination you set. You can edit the destination in Studio later without replacing the printed QR.

That extra link makes visit reporting possible. It depends on the short link staying active and on the visitor reaching the internet. A visit is a redirect request, not proof that a unique person scanned or bought something.

Phone, WhatsApp, email and social QR types can open an editable log.my profile page with action buttons. A published lead form also has a shareable URL and QR, but submitted answers are counted separately from visits.

Static vs dynamic QR: a practical comparison

Choose the behavior you need rather than judging the two codes by appearance.

Choose by what happens next

Use Direct QR when the phone should receive Wi-Fi or contact details immediately and you do not need log.my tracking. Use an editable QR link for a promotion, menu, website, phone action or social profile that may change later.

If your goal is to collect an enquiry, create a lead form in Studio, publish it, and share its URL or QR. A visit tells you the form link was opened through its short link; a lead means a response was successfully submitted with consent.

If that QR will appear on a flyer, first consider why printed flyers fail to bring in enquiries and what action the reader should take.

• Printed menu with a destination that may change: choose an editable QR link.
• Guest Wi-Fi card: choose Wi-Fi Direct QR and reprint it if the credentials change.
• Contact card: choose vCard Direct QR, or an editable profile if the details may change.
• Quotation request: publish a lead form and share its QR or URL.

Before you print or share

Create your QR after signing in, check the encoded action or destination, and scan the final exported file with a real phone. For print, test the actual material and size. Keep a clear margin around the code and avoid placing it over busy artwork.

For an editable QR, test again after changing the destination. For a form, submit one synthetic response and check that it arrives in Leads. Do not use a real customer’s details for a test.

If you are publishing a lead form, follow how to make a QR code for an online form and test a submission before sharing.