Short URL

A short URL service converts a long URL into a brief string. A long address such as https://example.com/campaigns/spring-2026/landing-page?utm_source=flyer becomes something like https://bit.ly/abc123. The mechanism is a redirect server that forwards any request for the short URL to the original address.

For QR codes, short URLs carry a practical benefit. The less data a code has to store, the lower its version (module count) and the smaller it can be printed. At error correction level H, storing a 100-character URL as-is requires Version 10 (57×57 modules), while shortening it to 20 characters needs only Version 3 (29×29 modules). The required version also depends on the error correction level: the same 100 characters fit in Version 5 (37×37 modules) at level L. In a confined space such as a business card, that difference matters.

Short URLs do raise a security concern, however. Because the real destination cannot be identified from the shortened string, it can be abused to lure users to phishing or malware distribution sites. The combination of a QR code and a short URL deserves particular care, since the URL is obscured twice over — invisible inside the code, and unidentifiable once shortened.

When a company uses short URLs in QR codes, a short URL service on its own domain (a custom short domain) is recommended. If the company's own domain is visible, as in https://go.example.com/abc, users find it far easier to judge whether the destination can be trusted.