# WhatsApp link code or QR expired? Link again in a minute

> WhatsApp QR expired, or the link code, before you finished? Learn why Mujib's codes expire, how to get a fresh one, and what to check when linking still fails.

If your WhatsApp QR expired or the link code ran out, nothing is wrong with your number: the link code is valid for about a minute, and the QR code refreshes by itself while the page is open, just like WhatsApp Web. Press **Expired? New code**, or start a new attempt from **Channels**.

Mujib links to your number as a **linked device**, the same way WhatsApp Web does: either with an eight-character code you type into WhatsApp, or with a QR code you scan with WhatsApp's camera.

## Why do the link code and the QR code expire?

Because WhatsApp keeps linking codes short-lived so no one else can use them. Each one ends differently:

| Code | When it ends | What you see |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Typed link code | After about a minute | **The code is valid for about a minute.**, with **Expired? New code** under it |
| QR code | Refreshes by itself while the page is open | **The code refreshes by itself — keep this page open** |
| The whole linking attempt | If it does not complete within 5 minutes at most | The number shows **Earlier attempt**, with **The earlier attempt expired — link it again** under it |

You may also see **The QR code expired before it was scanned** next to the number. It means the same thing: the attempt ended, so start another.

> **Closed the page while linking?**
>
> If you leave the Channels page before linking completes, you find the number at **Earlier attempt** when you come back. The old attempt will not finish on its own, so press **Link again**.
## How do I get a new code and finish linking?

Get WhatsApp ready on your phone first, then request the code and type it at once, so none of the minute is lost.

1. On your phone, open WhatsApp, then **Settings**, then **Linked devices**, tap **Link a device**, then **Link with phone number instead**. Leave that screen open.
2. In Mujib, open **Channels** and press the button that fits:
   - The code is still on screen but expired: **Expired? New code**.
   - The number shows **Earlier attempt**: **Link again**.
   - The number shows **Disconnected**: **Reconnect**.
   - You have not linked any number yet: **Connect a WhatsApp number**.
3. If asked for the number, type it in international format without `+` and without the leading zero, for example `962790000000`, then press **Get pairing code**.
4. Type the code into the WhatsApp screen you prepared, or paste it after **Copy code**.
5. Wait for the number to turn **Connected**. It happens by itself within seconds.

On a computer it is even simpler: scan the QR code next to the number field with WhatsApp's camera from **Link a device**. Don't worry that it keeps changing; each new code works.

## What if no code appears at all?

Wait a moment and try once more; don't press the button repeatedly.

- **Neither a link code nor a QR code appeared:** after 45 seconds without a code, a message tells you so. Press **Reconnect** again.
- **You asked for a code and WhatsApp did not send it:** after 30 seconds the number field comes back with **WhatsApp did not send us the code. Try again in a moment, or scan the QR code if one appears.**
- **You asked for many codes in a row:** WhatsApp limits how many link codes can be requested in a short time. Wait a few minutes, then ask for one code.

## Why doesn't the link complete when the code is valid?

If you typed the code in time and linking still did not complete, it is usually one of these:

| What happened | Why | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| You type the code and linking does not complete | The number you typed into Mujib is not the number on that phone | Press **Wrong number?** and type the number of the phone you are typing the code into |
| There is nowhere to type the code | You opened the camera to scan a QR code | Tap **Link with phone number instead** under the camera |
| A "local number" message | You typed the number starting with zero | Start with the country code, so `0790000000` becomes `962790000000` |
| WhatsApp will not accept another device | Your phone already has four linked devices, the most WhatsApp allows | Remove a device you no longer use from **Linked devices**, then try again |
| You are trying to scan the QR with the same phone | A phone cannot scan its own screen | Use the typed link code instead |
| **Couldn't keep this number connected** appears right after linking | The number may already be linked to another business in Mujib | One number serves one business; email us and we will help you release it |

> **Tip**
>
> If WhatsApp asks for your fingerprint or your phone's lock code while linking, that is normal: it is checking that the number is yours.
## When should I contact the Mujib team?

Contact us when you have tried twice with a fresh code and linking still does not complete.

- When linking runs into trouble, the **WhatsApp numbers** card shows **Stuck linking?** with an **Email us** button, which opens an email with your business name filled in.
- Or write to `abdalrahman@mujib.ai`, or use **Report a problem** in your account menu.
- Include the number you are linking, which method you tried (typed code or QR), and what you saw on screen.

If the number was linked before and then dropped, see [WhatsApp disconnected](https://docs.mujib.ai/en/troubleshooting/whatsapp-disconnected/).

## Frequently asked questions

### How long is the link code valid?

About a minute, as the page itself says. Open the linking screen in WhatsApp before you request the code, then type it straight away.

### Does the QR code expire too?

The QR code refreshes by itself while the page is open. The whole linking attempt ends, though, if it does not complete within 5 minutes, and you start a new one.

### Does an expired code affect my number?

No. The number was never linked, so nothing changes on your phone. Start a new attempt whenever you like.

### Why did no new code arrive when I asked several times in a row?

WhatsApp limits how many link codes can be requested back to back. Wait a little, then ask for one code, or scan the QR code if you are on a computer.

### Can I link from my phone alone, without a computer?

Yes. Request the link code and type it into WhatsApp on that same phone; there is nothing to scan.

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Source: https://docs.mujib.ai/en/troubleshooting/qr-expired/ · Last updated: 2026-11-04