QR Code Generator

Static vs dynamic QR codes

Many "free" QR code generators actually make dynamic codes: the pattern contains a short link to their own server, which redirects to your page. That lets them show you scan statistics — and lets them stop the redirect when a trial ends, which is why so many printed menus and posters suddenly lead to an upgrade page.

A static code, which is what this tool makes, contains your actual URL or data. It has no expiry date, no middleman that can go offline, and no tracking. The trade-off is that you cannot change the destination after printing, so check the link before you send the file to the printer.

Because the code is generated in your browser, the Wi-Fi password, phone number or contact details you type are never sent anywhere. That matters most for Wi-Fi codes: an online generator that uploads your form data has, by definition, seen your network password.

What each content type does when scanned

URL

Opens the web page. A missing https:// is added for you, because phones only offer to open links that have a scheme.

Wi-Fi

Joins the network without typing the password, on both iPhone and Android. Uses the standard WIFI:T:WPA;S:name;P:password;; format, with special characters escaped correctly.

Contact (vCard)

Offers to save a contact with name, company, phone, email, website and address. vCard 3.0 is used because every contacts app imports it.

Email, phone and SMS

Open a pre-filled email, start a call, or draft a text message to the number you entered.

Location

A geo: link with latitude and longitude that opens the phone's map app at that point.

Error correction, logos and scannability

QR codes carry redundant data so they still scan when part of the pattern is dirty, torn or covered. Level L can recover about 7% damage, M 15%, Q 25% and H 30%. Higher levels make the pattern denser, so use M for most things and H when you put a logo in the middle.

Scanners need contrast: dark modules on a light background work everywhere, while light-on-dark or low-contrast colour pairs fail on many phones. The generator warns you when the colours are risky. Keep the quiet zone (the empty margin) at least two to four modules wide, and print the code no smaller than about 2 × 2 cm for a short URL. To double-check a finished design, open it in the QR code scanner.

PNG or SVG?

• PNG is right for screens, documents and social posts. Choose 1024 px or more for anything that might be enlarged.
• SVG is a vector file built from shapes, so it stays perfectly sharp at any size — the format printers and designers want for posters, packaging and signage.
• Copy puts a PNG on the clipboard to paste straight into a slide, document or chat.
• A transparent background lets the code sit on a coloured design, but make sure what is behind it is light enough to scan.

Tips for QR codes that people actually scan

• Keep the content short. A short URL gives a less dense code that scans faster from further away. Remove tracking clutter from long links before encoding them.
• Add a call to action. "Scan for the menu" or "Scan to join Wi-Fi" next to the code tells people what they will get, and makes them more willing to trust it.
• Test on several phones before printing a thousand copies, including an older Android and an iPhone, in the lighting where the code will hang.
• Avoid glossy laminate and curved surfaces where reflections hide modules, and do not stretch the code into a rectangle.
• Rounded modules and dots look friendlier and scan fine on modern phones, but keep the corner (finder) patterns bold and clearly separate from any decoration.