How to Generate QR Codes for Free (and Make Sure They Scan)

QR codes turn a link, a phone number or a line of text into a square that any phone camera can read. They are handy on posters, menus, business cards and packaging. This guide shows how to create one for free in your browser, and how to make sure it actually scans.

Make a QR code in a few steps

1. Open the QR Code Generator.
2. Type or paste your text or web address. For links, start with https:// so phones treat it as a link.
3. Choose a size. For digital use 300 to 500 pixels is usually plenty; for print, download the SVG version, which stays sharp at any size.
4. Keep the colours dark on light unless you have a good reason to change them.
5. Download the PNG or SVG.
6. Scan the result with your phone before you share or print it.

The code is created in your browser. Your text is not uploaded, there is no watermark and there is nothing to sign up for.

Static codes versus dynamic codes

A static QR code stores your information directly in the pattern. It never expires, needs no account and cannot be tracked, but you cannot change the destination after you print it. The generator on this site makes static codes.

A dynamic code stores a short redirect address managed by a service, which lets you edit the destination later and count scans. Such services usually require an account and often a subscription, and the code stops working if the service stops. Pick static for permanent links you control, and dynamic only if you really need editing or statistics.

Error correction explained

QR codes include extra data that lets a scanner rebuild the message even if part of the code is dirty or damaged. You choose how much:

Higher levels are more forgiving but produce a denser, more intricate pattern, so they need more room to stay readable. Medium is a sensible default. Use High for codes that will be printed on surfaces that may be scuffed, and a lower level for long text that must stay compact.

Tips for codes that scan

• Keep strong contrast. Dark code on a light background is the safest choice. Very similar colours, or a light code on a dark background, defeat many scanners. The tool warns you about both.
• Keep the quiet zone. The blank border around the code, about four modules wide, helps scanners find it. Do not crop it away.
• Do not stretch it. Keep the code square.
• Make it big enough. A commonly suggested minimum for close-range scanning is about 2 cm on each side, and larger for codes viewed from a distance.
• Keep the content short. Less data means a simpler pattern that is easier to scan.
• Test on more than one phone if the code is going on thousands of leaflets.

What you can put in a QR code

Plain text and web addresses work everywhere. Many phone cameras also understand a few special formats typed straight into the box:

• tel:+911234567890 offers to place a call.
• mailto:name@example.com opens a new email.
• WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:Password;; offers to join a Wi-Fi network.

Only encode information you are comfortable with everyone who sees the code reading. A printed Wi-Fi code reveals the password to anyone who scans it.

Staying safe when scanning

Because you cannot read a QR code by eye, criminals sometimes stick fake codes over real ones. When you scan a code in public, check the address your phone shows before you open it, and be wary of codes that ask you to enter payment details or passwords. If you publish your own codes in public places, check them occasionally to be sure nobody has covered them.

Common problems

• It will not scan: increase the size, use black on white, restore the border, shorten the text or lower the error-correction level.
• It opens as text instead of a link: add https:// to the start of the address.
• It scans but goes to the wrong place: check the text for typos, then regenerate.

QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED. You are free to use codes you generate for personal or business purposes. When you are ready, open the QR Code Generator and make your first one.