I can tell you that this simply isn’t true.

In reality, it’s an absurd way to talk about QR codes and similar technologies.

Are We Running Out of QR Codes?

Connecting the SwitchBot Pan Tilt Cam Plus to the app with a QR code.

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

Simply put, no, the world is not facing a shortage of QR codes.

They are not a finite resource.

In fact, they’re not a resource at all.

In the Chrome settings menu, hover over ‘Save and Share’ and then click ‘Create QR Code’.

Both QR codes and barcodes are intended to be easily and reliably read by a machine.

They can contain virtually any information you want to put in them, though, not justweb addresses.

QR codes will continue to work even if someone, somewhere, has generated the same code before.

Where Did the QR Code Shortage Idea Come From?

The meme gained traction and, evidently, some people didn’t catch the humor.

Now, there are forms of data that wearetechnically at risk of depleting.

For example,IP addressesin the traditionalIPv4 formatare a finite resource set to run out sooner rather than later.

Instead, learn how toproperly recycle old electronics, orwhich and how batteries can be recycled.