Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions that come up most often.
Reviewed 24 Oct 2026
Links
Can I change the slug?
You can. The old address keeps forwarding to the link for 30 days after the rename, then it stops working. If you need it to stop immediately, delete or pause the link instead of renaming it.
Do links expire on their own?
Only if you set an expiry date or a click cap. Otherwise they work indefinitely.
What happens to my links if I cancel?
They keep redirecting. You drop to Free capabilities, but published addresses are not taken away.
Can I recover a deleted link?
No. Pause is the reversible version: use it unless you are certain.
Analytics
Why is my test click not showing?
Either it has not been processed yet, or it was classified as automated. Test from a real browser and give it a moment.
Are bots counted?
No. Automated traffic is identified and excluded so your numbers reflect people.
How accurate are unique visitors?
It is a close statistical estimate. We use a method that counts distinct visitors without retaining anything that identifies them.
How long is my history kept?
It depends on your plan. Data outside your window is deleted, so export anything you will need.
Does upgrading bring old data back?
No. A longer retention window applies from that point forward.
Can I see individual visitors?
No, deliberately. IP addresses are anonymised before anything is stored and we do not build visitor profiles.
- Analytics history, by plan
- Free 30 · Starter 90 · Pro 365 · Business 730
Plans and billing
What happens if I go over my monthly click allowance?
You get an alert. Nothing stops working. Clicks do not gate a redirect.
What happens if I go over my link allowance?
You cannot create more this month. Everything you already have keeps working.
Does deleting a link give back quota?
No. The monthly counter records links created, not links held.
When does an upgrade take effect?
Immediately, with a prorated charge for the rest of the period.
When does a downgrade take effect?
At the end of the current period. It can be blocked if your usage exceeds the target plan.
Why can I not see billing?
You are not the payer for this workspace. Only the payer sees billing controls.
My payment failed. Have I lost access?
Not immediately. There is a grace period during which everything keeps working while you fix the card.
Teams
My teammate is on Free. Do they get my Pro features?
Inside your Pro workspace, yes. Entitlements come from the workspace payer, not from the individual.
I am on Pro but a workspace I joined shows Free features.
Same rule the other way round. That workspace's payer is on Free.
Can I remove the owner?
No. Ownership has to be transferred first: a workspace cannot be left without an owner.
What happens to a member's links when they leave?
Nothing. Everything belongs to the workspace, not to the person who made it.
Why can my invitee not accept the invitation?
Invitations are bound to the exact address they were sent to and cannot be forwarded.
Domains and QR codes
Can I use my root domain?
You should not: pointing it here would take your website offline. Use a subdomain such as go.yourbrand.com.
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate?
No. HTTPS is provisioned and renewed automatically once your domain verifies.
How long does domain verification take?
Usually minutes. ShortZen keeps checking for up to 2 hours from when you add the domain, then moves it to an error state. Past an hour, check the record itself rather than waiting, and use "Retry verification" on the domain to start a fresh check once you have fixed it.
Can I change a QR code's destination after printing?
Yes. The code encodes the short address, not the destination. Edit the link.
Why are my scans counted as ordinary clicks?
The code was generated somewhere other than ShortZen. Scan attribution comes from the code we produce.
Privacy and data
Do you inject ads or trackers into my redirects?
No.
Do you sell my data?
No.
Can I get a copy of everything?
Yes. Request a full account export from Settings. It is emailed to you with the files attached, or as download links when it is large.
Is deleting my account reversible?
For 14 days. After that the purge is permanent and nothing can restore it.