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To receive Bitcoin over Lightning, create a payment request in a Lightning-capable wallet, then share its invoice text or display its QR code for the payer to scan. Before sharing, check the amount, network, and expiry; after the payer sends the payment, confirm its status in your wallet. A QR code is just a way to carry payment information—it does not turn a Lightning payment into a different kind of transaction.
How to receive a Lightning payment
- Open your Lightning wallet and choose its receive or request-payment option. The exact label varies by wallet. Check that the wallet is preparing a Lightning request, not an on-chain Bitcoin address.
- Set the amount if the payment is for a fixed sum. Some requests specify an amount; others leave it open for the payer to enter. Review the amount and any description the wallet shows.
- Check the request’s network and expiry. Make sure the request is for the Bitcoin network you and the payer intend to use. If the wallet lets you set an expiry, note when the request stops being valid.
- Create the payment request. A common format is a BOLT 11 invoice: a signed, encoded request containing a network prefix, timestamp, payment hash, and optional amount, description or description hash, and expiry. The BOLT 11 specification sets a default expiry of 3,600 seconds—one hour—if the invoice does not include an expiry field. BOLT 11 payment encoding specification.
- Share the invoice or show its QR code. Copy the invoice text and send it through a channel the payer can access, or display the wallet’s QR code for the payer to scan. Bitcoin.org describes this basic QR workflow: the receiver displays the wallet’s code and the other party scans it. Bitcoin.org’s Lightning Network FAQ.
- Have the payer review the request before sending. They should confirm their wallet recognizes it as Lightning and check the amount and description. A request’s appearance in a chat, a copied invoice, or a QR image does not prove that payment has been made.
- Confirm receipt in your wallet. Use the wallet’s payment status rather than a screenshot or the payer’s message as confirmation.
In short, the receiver creates the request; the payer uses it to initiate payment. The payer does not create your invoice, and showing an invoice or QR code is not itself a transfer. Keep the distinction in mind if you are collecting a payment in person: display the request, let the payer scan and review it, and wait for your wallet to show the payment status before treating it as received.
What an invoice, QR code, and payment request mean
Invoice: the payment details
A BOLT 11 invoice is an encoded payment request, not a Bitcoin address. It carries details the payer’s Lightning wallet needs to attempt the payment. It includes a timestamp and may include an amount, description information, and expiry. Because the invoice can be amount-specific and time-limited, it is generally best treated as a request for a particular payment rather than a permanent identifier to reuse indefinitely.
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QR code: a way to share those details
A QR code is a container that a camera or wallet can read. It may encode the invoice itself or a Bitcoin URI containing payment information. The payer’s wallet has to recognize the format inside the code; scanning does not guarantee that the wallet can process the request.
So, “Can someone pay me by scanning a QR code?” usually has a practical yes, provided the code contains a request their wallet understands and they confirm it before paying. The QR is a convenient way to transfer the request from your screen or printed display to the payer’s wallet. It is not a separate Lightning feature, proof of payment, or guarantee that all scanning apps will handle what it contains.
Payment request: the broader category
“Payment request” is a general term for information a payer can use to pay you. A BOLT 11 invoice is one type. Other formats, including BOLT 12 offers and DNS-based payment instructions, work differently and depend on compatible wallet support. They should not be mistaken for the same thing as a one-off BOLT 11 invoice.
For a straightforward payment, use the receive function your wallet provides and share the resulting request in a format the payer can use. Alternative formats can be useful when both sides’ wallets support them, but their existence in a proposal or specification is not proof that a particular wallet can create, scan, or resolve them.
What happens when the payer scans a QR code
The payer’s wallet reads the code and interprets its contents. A code might contain an invoice directly, a Bitcoin URI with a Lightning invoice, or a URL that points to a payment request. Those are not interchangeable scanning behaviors: wallet support depends on both the encoded format and the wallet.
BIP 321 defines the lightning query parameter for a BOLT 11 invoice and lno for a BOLT 12 offer in a Bitcoin URI. Its examples include a URI carrying a Lightning invoice alongside an on-chain fallback, as well as a URI containing only a Lightning invoice. BIP 321: URI Scheme.
An on-chain fallback in a URI is distinct from the Lightning invoice packaged alongside it. The URI can offer both kinds of payment information, but the payer still needs to check which payment option their wallet is showing and which one they intend to use. Do not assume every URI contains a fallback: BIP 321’s examples include a URI with only a Lightning invoice as well as one with an on-chain fallback.
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A QR code can also contain a URL for a payment request. BIP 73 describes wallets that can scan a Bitcoin URI or retrieve a payment request from a URL, but only QR-scanning wallets that implement that behavior can process payment-request URLs directly. Alternatives include a QR code containing a Bitcoin URI or a general QR scanner that opens a webpage with a wallet link. BIP 73: Use “bitcoin:” in URIs.
- If the payer’s wallet does not recognize the scan, ask whether it supports the encoded format; do not assume every QR-capable wallet supports payment-request URLs, BOLT 12, or every Bitcoin URI option.
- If the payer can use a Lightning invoice but cannot scan the code, sharing the invoice text may work if their wallet provides a way to enter or paste it.
- Before payment, the payer should verify the wallet identifies the request as Lightning and displays the expected amount and description.
A general QR-scanning app and a wallet’s own QR scanner are not necessarily equivalent. A general scanner might open a webpage when it reads a URL; that is different from a wallet directly retrieving and processing a payment request. BIP 73 describes this distinction, not a guarantee that any scanner or wallet will handle every URL. If the payer reaches a webpage, they should make sure they understand what the page is asking them to do and that their wallet recognizes the intended Lightning payment before sending.
When a Lightning invoice expires
A BOLT 11 invoice includes a timestamp and may include an expiry value. If the expiry is omitted, the specification’s default is 3,600 seconds (one hour). In practical terms, if the request has expired before payment, create a fresh request in your wallet and share that one. The BOLT 11 specification says a payee “SHOULD NOT accept a payment after the timestamp plus expiry has passed.” BOLT 11 payment encoding specification.
Do not assume that a copied invoice remains payable just because its text or QR code is still visible. The wallet’s request may have expired, and the payer’s wallet should report whether it can proceed. If an expired request is rejected, issue a new one rather than repeatedly sending the old code.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf you are asking, “Why did my Lightning invoice expire?”, the relevant detail is that an invoice has a creation timestamp and can have an expiry interval. The interval determines how long the request is valid under its expiry rules; if an invoice omits an explicit expiry, BOLT 11 supplies the one-hour default. A saved screenshot, printed QR, or old message does not update the underlying request. Make a new request in the wallet and share the replacement when the old one is no longer valid.
Expiry is a property to check before sharing and again if payment is delayed. It is not a reason to treat an unconfirmed payment as received. Follow the status your wallet provides, and if the request is rejected as expired, use a newly generated request rather than telling the payer to keep retrying the old one.
How the main Lightning payment formats differ
| Format | What it carries | Amount and reuse | Expiry | Wallet handling and fallback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOLT 11 invoice | An encoded Lightning payment request with a network prefix, timestamp, payment hash, and optional descriptive fields. | Can include an amount or omit it; a request is commonly created for a particular payment. | Can specify an expiry; if omitted, the protocol default is 3,600 seconds (one hour). | A Lightning wallet must understand the invoice. The invoice itself does not establish an on-chain fallback. |
Bitcoin URI with lightning= |
A Bitcoin URI that packages a BOLT 11 invoice in the lightning query parameter. |
Depends on the included invoice. | Depends on the included invoice. | BIP 321 examples show that a URI may also include an on-chain fallback, or may contain only the Lightning invoice. Support depends on the wallet. |
BOLT 12 offer, represented with lno |
A Bitcoin URI can carry an offer using the lno parameter. |
Designed as an offer rather than the same kind of one-off invoice; amount and reuse behavior depend on the offer and implementation. | Not stated in the cited BIP 321 URI examples; do not infer BOLT 11 invoice expiry rules for an offer. | Requires a wallet that supports the offer format. BIP 321 establishes the URI parameter, not universal wallet support. |
| Lightning Address / BIP 353 DNS payment instructions | A name-resolution mechanism for payment instructions rather than an encoded BOLT 11 invoice shared directly. | Not stated in the cited BIP 353 description as a universal amount or reuse rule. | Not stated in the cited BIP 353 description as an invoice-style expiry rule. | BIP 353 describes DNS payment instructions as intended to extend and subsume the existing Lightning Address scheme; wallet resolution support is not universal. BIP 353: DNS Payment Instructions. |
The table compares the formats at the level established by the cited specifications. A URI is a packaging format, while the invoice or offer it carries determines the request’s own details; a DNS payment instruction is a separate way to resolve payment information.
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These formats are best compared by asking practical questions: Is this a one-off request or an offer intended to be reused? Is the amount fixed in the request or supplied later? Does the request have an expiry? Can the payer’s wallet scan or resolve this format? Is there an on-chain fallback, or only a Lightning option? The answers are not identical across formats. BOLT 11 defines invoice fields and expiry behavior; BIP 321 defines URI parameters for invoices and offers; BIP 353 describes a separate DNS-based payment-instruction mechanism. The documents do not establish universal support across wallets.
For a simple receive flow, a BOLT 11 invoice is the direct request the wallet creates. A Bitcoin URI can package that invoice for a wallet that supports the URI, and may include an on-chain fallback. A BOLT 12 offer is a different kind of instruction, identified by the lno parameter in BIP 321, rather than simply another name for a BOLT 11 invoice. DNS payment instructions and Lightning Address involve resolution by name rather than sending the same encoded invoice string. Choose based on what both wallets support, not on the assumption that every format works everywhere.
Checks that prevent common receiving problems
The request is for the wrong network or payment type
Before sharing, check the network shown by the wallet and confirm the request is Lightning. Before paying, the sender should also check that their wallet recognizes the request as Lightning. A Bitcoin QR code can carry different kinds of payment information, so a scan alone is not enough to establish what kind of payment is being requested.
This is especially important when a QR code packages more than one option. If a URI contains a Lightning invoice and an on-chain fallback, the payer should review the wallet’s displayed choice rather than assume the scan selected the intended rail. The request’s format and its displayed payment type should agree with what both parties expect.
The amount is missing or incorrect
If you expect a fixed sum, enter it when creating the request and inspect the generated request details. If the request leaves the amount open, tell the payer what amount to enter and verify it in the wallet before they send.
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An amount-specific request and an amount-open request are different practical choices. For a fixed payment, putting the amount in the request helps the payer see the expected figure when their wallet interprets it. If the wallet lets the payer supply the amount instead, communicate the intended sum clearly and have them confirm it in the payment screen. In either case, check the amount and any description before the payer authorizes payment; do not infer that a scan alone guarantees the right amount.
The payer’s QR scanner cannot process the code
The code may contain a URL or URI format that the payer’s wallet does not support. Share the invoice text if the wallet can accept it, or use a payment-request format both wallets support. BIP 73’s URL behavior applies only to QR-scanning wallets that implement it.
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There are several possible contents behind a QR image: an invoice string, a Bitcoin URI that carries a Lightning invoice, or a URL that points to payment-request data. A payer who cannot use one format may still be able to use another, but that depends on their wallet’s features. Avoid describing the general QR-scanner route as equivalent to direct wallet support: the general scanner may simply open a webpage, while direct payment-request handling requires the wallet behavior BIP 73 describes.
The request expired
Create a new request in the wallet and send the replacement. The old QR code may still be visible or saved, but that does not make its underlying invoice valid beyond its expiry.
The payer says they sent it, but your wallet does not show receipt
Check the payment status in your own wallet. Do not treat a screenshot, copied invoice, or message as proof of settled payment. If the wallet does not show the payment, the available evidence here does not establish its cause; use the wallet’s own status or support information to investigate rather than assuming the transfer completed.
The same principle applies before payment: an invoice string is a request, not evidence that anyone has paid. A QR image can be copied or forwarded without changing its content, and a payer’s statement is not the receiver’s wallet status. Use the wallet status as the confirmation point rather than relying on an image or message.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fees and timing: what can safely be expected
Bitcoin.org characterizes Lightning payments generally as near-instant with minimal fees, but that description is not a guarantee about a particular transfer, wallet, or fee. The cited protocol material does not establish a specific fee or completion time for an individual payment. Check the wallet’s confirmation and payment status instead of promising a precise speed or cost to the payer. Bitcoin.org’s Lightning Network FAQ.
That general description should not be turned into a promise about what a particular payer will be charged or exactly how long a specific transfer will take. The cited material supports a broad characterization, not a wallet-by-wallet estimate. For the receive workflow, the useful checks remain the request’s amount, network, expiry, compatibility, and the payment status shown by the wallet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I receive Bitcoin over Lightning?
Open a Lightning-capable wallet, choose its receive or request-payment function, review the amount, network, and expiry, then create the request. Share the invoice text or display its QR code. Confirm receipt in your wallet’s payment status.
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How do I make a Lightning invoice?
Use the wallet’s receive or request-payment option and create a request, entering an amount if you need a fixed sum. BOLT 11 is a common invoice format. Check the network and any expiry setting before sharing it; if expiry is omitted, BOLT 11 specifies a one-hour default.
Can someone pay me by scanning a QR code?
Yes, if the QR contains a payment format the payer’s wallet recognizes. It may encode an invoice, a Bitcoin URI, or a URL for a payment request, and wallet support differs. Have the payer confirm the wallet identifies the request as Lightning and displays the expected amount and description.
Why did my Lightning invoice expire?
A BOLT 11 invoice has a timestamp and may include an expiry. If it omits an expiry field, the specified default is 3,600 seconds, or one hour. If it has expired, create a fresh request in your wallet and share that instead of retrying the old invoice.
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Do not treat a BOLT 11 invoice as a permanent identifier to reuse indefinitely. It may be amount-specific and time-limited, and its expiry still applies even if the invoice text or QR image remains visible. Create a fresh request when the old one has expired.
What if the payer’s wallet cannot scan my QR code?
The wallet may not support the format encoded in the QR. If it accepts invoice text, you can share the invoice string; otherwise use a payment-request format both wallets support. Support for payment-request URLs, BOLT 12, and URI options is not universal.
The Bottom Line
To receive Bitcoin over Lightning, create a request in a Lightning wallet, check its amount, network, and expiry, and share the invoice or a QR code the payer’s wallet can read. The QR is only a way to deliver payment information. If an invoice expires, create a new one; after the payer sends payment, rely on your wallet’s status—not a screenshot or message—to confirm receipt.
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