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QR Code Generator

Create QR codes for text, URLs, WiFi, vCard, and more

Your data never leaves your browser

Input

Preview

QR code will appear here

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The QR Code Generator turns a link, a message, WiFi credentials, or a contact card into a scannable square in seconds, with control over size, color, and error correction. Everything is rendered locally in the browser — no account, no watermark, and no dependency on a third-party shortener that could break later. It suits anyone who needs a code for print or screen: marketers shipping campaign links, cafés sharing guest WiFi, event organizers printing badges, and developers encoding a payload for test devices.

How to Use

  1. Pick the content type. Use the Text/URL tab for a plain link or message, the WiFi tab for network credentials, or the contact tab for a vCard. Each type packages your input into the exact format a phone expects.
  2. Enter the content. For a URL, paste the full link including https://. For WiFi, fill in the network name, password, and security type.
  3. Adjust the appearance. Set the size, choose foreground and background colors, and select an error correction level. The preview refreshes with every change and warns if your colors are too similar to scan reliably.
  4. Download or copy. Save an SVG for print work or a PNG for screens, or copy the image directly into a document.

Worked Examples

Example 1 — guest WiFi for a café. The owner enters the SSID CafeGuest and the network password, chooses encryption type WPA, and sets error correction to Q. Guests scan the printed code and their phone offers to join the network — no spelling out a password at the counter. The higher error level keeps the code readable after a few months of fingerprints and steam.

Example 2 — a business card vCard. A freelancer fills the contact form with name, company, email, phone, and website. The generator emits a vCard QR code; scanning it offers to add the contact directly, avoiding the usual manual typing of an email address. Because the vCard format itself is a text standard, the code stays compatible with iOS and Android contact apps.

Example 3 — a campaign link. A marketer pastes https://example.com/spring-sale?utm_source=poster&utm_medium=print, sets size to 800 px and error correction to H for a poster, and downloads the SVG. Before printing, they test-scan the on-screen version with two phones to confirm the longer URL still resolves quickly.

How QR Codes Work

A QR code stores data in a two-dimensional grid of black and white modules. The three large squares in the corners are finder patterns that let a camera lock on and orient the code even when the phone is tilted; a smaller alignment pattern near the bottom-right helps with higher-density codes.

The data itself is placed in a version-dependent grid, and the size of that grid grows with the amount of content: a short URL might need a 21×21 grid (version 1), while a long vCard needs a much larger one. Encoding applies a mask pattern chosen to avoid large same-color blocks that confuse scanners. Finally, Reed–Solomon error correction adds redundant codewords, which is why a code still decodes after being printed over, torn, or partially obscured.

The generator handles all of this automatically; the practical choices you make are content, size, contrast, and error level.

Choosing Size, Colors, and Error Correction

  • Size. For close-range scanning (a menu, a card), 2–3 cm is enough. For a poster scanned from a meter away, keep the code at least 10% of the scan distance — roughly 10 cm for a meter. Screens can go smaller because the camera is close and the image is sharp.
  • Contrast. Dark modules on a light background scan best. If you invert the colors for a dark theme, verify with a real phone first; many older scanners fail on inverted codes. Avoid low-contrast pastel pairs entirely.
  • Error correction. L (~7%) for clean digital displays, M (~15%) as a general default, Q (~25%) for print that may get dirty, H (~30%) when a logo will cover part of the code. Higher levels make the code denser, so balance robustness against physical size.
  • Quiet zone. Leave an empty margin at least four modules wide around the code. Trimming it close in a layout is one of the most common reasons a printed code stops scanning.

Common Mistakes and Edge Cases

  • Too little contrast. Light gray on white, or brand colors that look distinct on a monitor, often fail when printed or viewed under warm light. Check the contrast before sending to print.
  • Placing a logo without enough error correction. A central logo eats data area; it only works when the error level is Q or H and the logo stays under about 20% of the area.
  • Encoding a URL that will change. A QR code is not a redirect. If the destination may move, encode a short link you control and update the redirect on your side.
  • Forgetting to test at the final size and material. Matte paper, glossy lamination, and curved surfaces all change how a camera reads the code. Test one physical sample.
  • Very long content. A 2,000-character URL produces a dense code that is slow to scan and easy to blur. Shorten the link or split the content.

Features

  • QR codes for text, URLs, WiFi credentials, and vCard contacts
  • Four error correction levels (L, M, Q, H) with a live density preview
  • Custom foreground and background colors with a low-contrast warning
  • Adjustable size from 100 to 1000 pixels
  • Downloads as PNG (screen) or SVG (print), plus quick copy
  • 100% client-side — content never leaves the browser

Use Cases

  • Hospitality: Table cards linking to a digital menu or guest WiFi access.
  • Events: Badges and signage that open a schedule, map, or registration page.
  • Retail and packaging: Product pages, warranty registration, or reorder links on the label.
  • Networking: vCard codes on business cards and conference name tags.
  • Developers: Encoding a test payload for device or app QA flows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I choose for the error correction level?

Level M (about 15% recovery) is the right default for almost everything. Raise it to Q or H when the code will be printed on something that can get scuffed, folded, or partially covered — a menu, a package label, or a poster where a logo sits in the middle. Lower levels produce less dense codes that scan faster from a screen.

Why won't my QR code scan from a phone?

The three usual causes are insufficient contrast, a code that is too small for the distance, and inverted colors (light modules on a dark background). Keep dark modules on a light background, print at least 2 cm across for close scanning, and test with two different phones before committing to a print run.

How much data can one QR code hold?

A version-40 code holds up to 7,089 numeric characters, 4,296 alphanumeric characters, or 2,953 bytes of binary data. In practice, shorter content scans faster and survives more damage. If you need to encode a long URL, shorten it first or split the content across multiple codes.

Is a WiFi QR code safe to post publicly?

It contains the network name and password in plain text, so anyone who photographs it can join that network. Share it with guests, attendees, or office visitors, and never post a guest-network code next to a code for an internal network. Rotate the guest password periodically if the code is displayed in public.

Does the generated QR code expire?

No. The code encodes the content directly, so it works forever and needs no server or subscription. That also means the destination cannot be changed later — if the link may move, point the code at a short URL you control and redirect that instead.

Which download format should I use for print?

Choose SVG for anything printed or scaled: it is a vector format that stays sharp at any size, from a business card to a billboard. Choose PNG when you need a fixed-size image for a screen, a slide, or a website where bitmap output is easier to place.

Reviewed by the HandyTools Hub team · Last updated