Short Links

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Short links are redirect-only URLs — a fast, branded link like qr-manager.ai/r/summer-sale that forwards visitors to any destination. Unlike URL QR codes, no QR image is generated — short links are for link-sharing workflows where you want the same tracking and editing capabilities you get from a QR code, but delivered as a URL.

Short links vs. URL QR codes: Both redirect through the same infrastructure and share the same analytics, scan limits, UTM params, and expiry controls. The difference is that URL QR codes also generate a scannable image. Short links skip the image — useful for email campaigns, social bios, or anywhere you share a link rather than display a code.

Creating a short link

1
Open the dashboard
Go to your Dashboard. Click the arrow next to "New QR code" and select "New Short Link" from the dropdown.
2
Enter the destination URL
Paste the full URL you want to redirect to. The link will be screened for malware before saving.
3
Optionally set a title and folder
A title helps you find the link later. Assign it to a folder to keep campaigns organised.
4
Set a custom short code (Starter and above)
By default a random short code is generated (e.g. abc12345). Paid plans can set a custom code like "summer-sale" — must be 3–40 lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens.
5
Add optional controls
Set UTM parameters (source, medium, campaign), an expiry date, a maximum scan/click count, or a scan PIN to password-protect the redirect.
6
Save
The short link is live immediately. Your short URL appears on the detail page and can be copied with one click.

Managing short links

Short links appear in the dashboard alongside your QR codes and are labelled with aSHORTLINKbadge. From the detail page you can:

Edit the destination URL at any time — changes take effect immediately.
Update the title, folder, expiry date, or max scan count.
Enable or change the scan PIN (password-protect the redirect).
Rename the short code (slug) to any unused value.
View full scan analytics: total clicks, unique visitors, device breakdown, countries, and more.
Move to trash and restore — same as QR codes.

Limits by plan

Short links have their own separate count pool — they do not count toward your QR code limit.

Plan	Short links	Custom short codes
Free	10	—
Starter	50	Yes
Pro	500	Yes
Enterprise	Unlimited	Yes

Analytics

Short links record the same click data as URL QR codes. Each redirect logs device type, browser, operating system, country, city (Pro/Enterprise), and referrer (Pro/Enterprise). The full analytics dashboard — including the hour-of-day heatmap and geographic map — is available on every short link detail page.

Unique clicks: The first click from each IP + user-agent combination within 24 hours is counted as unique. Repeat clicks still increment total scans.

REST API

Create short links programmatically using the v1 API. Set qrType to SHORTLINK in the request body. API access requires a Starter plan or above.

Create a short link

POST https://qr-manager.ai/api/v1/qr Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY { "qrType": "SHORTLINK", "redirectUrl": "https://your-destination.com/path", "title": "Summer Campaign", "maxScans": 1000, "expiresAt": "2026-12-31T23:59:59Z" }

Response

HTTP 201 Created { "qr": { "id": "clx...", "slug": "abc12345", "qrType": "SHORTLINK", "redirectUrl": "https://your-destination.com/path", "title": "Summer Campaign", "shortUrl": "https://qr-manager.ai/r/abc12345", "createdAt": "2026-06-16T00:00:00.000Z", "expiresAt": "2026-12-31T23:59:59.000Z", "maxScans": 1000 } }

The shortUrl field in the response is the live redirect URL to share. See the full API reference for all supported fields including folder, utmSource, and more.

MCP (AI integration)

If you have an MCP client connected (Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, etc.), you can create and manage short links in plain English using the create_qr_code tool.

Example prompts

"Create a short link to https://example.com/sale with the title 'Summer Sale'"

"Create a short link expiring on December 31st with a max of 500 clicks"

"List all my short links"

"Update the destination URL for short link 'summer-sale' to https://newsite.com"

See the MCP integration guide for setup instructions.

FAQ

Do short links count toward my QR code limit?

No. Short links have their own separate limit. Your QR code quota and short link quota are tracked independently.

Can I convert an existing URL QR code into a short link?

Not directly — they are separate record types. If you want a short link instead, create a new one and delete the QR code if you no longer need the image.

Will the short link still redirect after it expires or hits the max scan count?

No. Expired or exhausted links show an expiry page to the visitor. You can extend the expiry or increase the scan limit at any time from the detail page.

Can I use retargeting pixels on short links?

Short link redirects go through the same redirect infrastructure as URL QR codes, so per-QR pixels (Meta, Google, TikTok) work. Org-level pixel defaults apply on Pro and Enterprise.

What is the format of the short URL?

By default: qr-manager.ai/r/<random-8-char-code>. With a custom domain (Enterprise): yourco.qr-manager.ai/r/<slug>. Custom short codes can replace the random part on Starter and above.

Need help with short links?

Our support team is happy to help.

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