QR code generator
Choose what the code should hold, fill it in, and download it. The code updates as you type.
Made in your browser. Nothing you type, including Wi-Fi passwords, is sent or saved.
What each type does when scanned
Phone cameras read the text inside the code and act on it. These are the formats this generator writes:
| Type | Text in the code | What the phone does |
|---|---|---|
| Link | https://example.com | Offers to open the page |
| Wi-Fi | WIFI:T:WPA;S:Home;P:secret123;; | Offers to join the network |
mailto:[email protected]?subject=Hi | Opens a new email | |
| Phone | tel:+15550100199 | Offers to call |
| SMS | SMSTO:+15550100199:Hi | Opens a text message |
A web address typed without https://, such as example.com, gets it added so phones recognize it as a link. In Wi-Fi codes, the characters \ ; , : and " in the name or password are escaped with a backslash, which is how phone cameras expect them.
Your code never expires
This page writes your text straight into the code, so the QR code works for as long as the link or details inside it do. There is no redirect through our site, no tracking and no subscription that can switch it off later, unlike "dynamic" QR codes from some services. The other side of that is that you can't change where a printed code points: make a new one if the link changes.
Size, colors and error correction
Error correction lets a code still scan when part of it is dirty, scratched or covered: about 7% of the data can be restored at Low, 15% at Medium, 25% at Quartile and 30% at High. DENSO WAVE, which invented the QR code, notes that Medium is the level most often chosen, with Quartile or High for places where codes get dirty (qrcode.com). Higher levels and longer text both make the pattern denser. The table counts the squares across a code, worked out by this generator:
| What's in the code | Characters | Low | Medium | Quartile | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short link | 19 | 25 × 25 | 25 × 25 | 25 × 25 | 29 × 29 |
| Long link | 78 | 33 × 33 | 37 × 37 | 45 × 45 | 49 × 49 |
| Wi-Fi details | 48 | 29 × 29 | 33 × 33 | 37 × 37 | 41 × 41 |
| A 300-character message | 300 | 61 × 61 | 69 × 69 | 81 × 81 | 89 × 89 |
The smallest code is 21 squares across. The more squares, the smaller each one is when printed at the same size, which is why a long link printed small is harder to scan. A link shortener or a shorter page address keeps the code simple.
For printing, the code should be at least about 2 cm (0.8 inch) across, larger for long text or for scanning from a distance. That is a rule of thumb, so scan a test print before printing hundreds. Download SVG for print, since it stays sharp at any size. Keep the white border: a QR code needs a clear margin four squares wide on every side (qrcode.com), and the downloads include it. Colors work if the code is clearly darker than the background; the page warns you if the contrast is too low or the colors are inverted, which many older scanners can't read.
Questions
How do I make a QR code?
Pick what the code should hold above, such as Link or text, or Wi-Fi, and fill in the boxes. The code appears as you type. Scan it with your phone to check it, then press Download PNG for a screen or a document, or Download SVG for print.
How do I scan a QR code?
Open the camera app on your phone and point it at the code for a second or two. Most recent iPhones and Android phones recognize the code by themselves and show a link or a button to tap. If nothing appears, try the QR scanner in your phone's control center or quick settings, or a scanner app, and make sure the whole code, including its white border, is in the picture.
Is this QR code generator free, with no sign-up?
Yes. There is no account, no limit on how many codes you make, no watermark and no trial that ends. The code is made in your browser, so nothing you type is stored on our side.
Do QR codes expire?
Codes made here don't. The link or text is written straight into the pattern, so the code keeps working as long as what it points to does. Codes from services that send scans through their own short link can stop working if that service or subscription ends.
Is it free for business use?
Yes. The codes are yours to print on menus, flyers, packaging or business cards, without attribution. "QR Code" is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.
Is my Wi-Fi password safe?
The code is made on your device and nothing is sent to us. Keep in mind that anyone who scans a printed Wi-Fi code can read the password from it, so put it where only guests you trust can see it.
Why won't my code scan?
The usual causes are low contrast, a missing white border, a code printed too small for the amount of text, or a link with a typo. Try black on white with Medium error correction and scan the download with your own phone before printing.