QR Code Generator
This free QR code generator turns links, plain text, Wi-Fi logins, email addresses, and phone numbers into clean, scannable codes you can style with your own colors and dot shapes. Everything runs right in your browser, so there is no signup, no upload, and nothing to install. Download your code as PNG, JPG, SVG, or PDF. The codes are static and never expire, so they keep working forever.
Scannable QR codes for links, plain text, Wi‑Fi login cards, email, and phone numbers. Customize colors and style, then download PNG, JPG, SVG, or PDF. Nothing is uploaded — generation happens locally.
How to use the QR code generator
- Pick the type of content you want to encode: a URL, plain text, a Wi-Fi network, an email address, or a phone number.
- Fill in the details for that type, such as the link you want people to open or the network name and password to share.
- Customize the look. Adjust the foreground and background colors and choose a dot style that fits your brand.
- Check the live preview and scan it with your phone to confirm it points where you expect.
- Choose a download format: PNG, JPG, SVG, or PDF.
- Click download. Your file is generated in the browser and saved straight to your device.
What QR codes are and where people use them
A QR code is a square, two-dimensional barcode that a phone camera can read in an instant. Instead of typing a long web address or a complicated Wi-Fi password, someone simply points their camera at the code and the information appears. Because almost every modern phone scans QR codes natively, they have become a fast, friendly bridge between the physical world and digital content.
The uses are everywhere once you start looking. Marketers add codes to posters, flyers, and business cards so a single scan opens a website or landing page. Restaurants and cafes print them on tables and packaging to show digital menus. Cafes and rental hosts post a Wi-Fi QR code so guests connect without asking for the password. Shops put them on receipts and product labels to share manuals, reviews, or contact details. Event organizers use them on tickets and signage, and creators drop them into slides and videos to send viewers to a link.
Static QR codes versus dynamic QR codes
This is the most important thing to understand before you print anything. There are two kinds of QR codes, and they behave very differently.
This tool creates static QR codes. The information you enter is encoded directly into the pattern of the code itself. That means the code works forever, never expires, and does not rely on any outside server staying online. It also means nobody is tracking the scans, because there is no middleman service routing the request. The trade-off is that a static code cannot be edited after you create it. If the destination changes, you generate a new code.
Dynamic QR codes are a separate, usually paid, service. They point to a short redirect link controlled by a company, which then forwards the scan to your real destination. That lets the owner edit the target later and collect scan analytics, but it also means the code depends on that company’s servers, can stop working if the account lapses or the service shuts down, and can expire. For most everyday needs, a static code is simpler, more private, and more durable. If you specifically need editable destinations or scan reporting, look for a dedicated dynamic QR service. This generator does not offer editing or tracking, and it never will, because that is not what static codes do.
Which download format to use
The right file format depends on where the code will live. The table below summarizes the practical choice.
| Format | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Websites, apps, slides, and social posts | Crisp pixels with a clean background; the safe default for anything on a screen. |
| JPG | Photos and platforms that prefer JPG | Smaller files, but compression can soften edges; keep the size generous so scanning stays reliable. |
| SVG | Print, large signage, and anything that must scale | Vector format that stays razor sharp at any size, from a sticker to a banner. |
| Documents, menus, and print-ready handoffs | Drops neatly into print workflows and shares cleanly with printers or clients. |
As a rule of thumb, use PNG or JPG for digital screens, SVG when the code needs to scale or go to print, and PDF when it belongs inside a document.
Design and scanning tips
A QR code only helps if it scans on the first try, so design with reliability in mind.
- Keep strong contrast. Dark code on a light background reads best. Avoid light-on-light or busy gradients that blur the pattern.
- Do not over-stylize. Custom colors and dot shapes look great, but extreme styling can break scanning. Test any heavily styled code thoroughly.
- Respect the quiet zone. Leave a clear margin of empty space around the code so cameras can find its edges.
- Make it big enough. Print codes at a size people can scan comfortably from the expected distance; bigger is safer for posters and signage.
- Test before you print. Scan the final file with more than one phone before committing it to a large print run.
What each content type does
| Content type | What it does when scanned |
|---|---|
| URL | Opens a website or landing page directly in the phone’s browser. |
| Text | Displays plain text on the screen, handy for notes, codes, or short messages. |
| Wi-Fi | Prompts the phone to join a network using the name and password you encoded, with no manual typing. |
| Opens a new email addressed to you, ready for the person to write and send. | |
| Phone | Loads the number into the dialer so the person can call with one tap. |
QR code error correction levels explained
Every QR code carries a built-in safety margin called error correction. It works by storing redundant copies of the data, so the code still reads even when part of it is dirty, scratched, partly covered, or printed slightly off. There are four levels, set by the ISO/IEC 18004 standard, and each one recovers a different share of a damaged code. Higher levels are more forgiving, but they pack in more modules, which makes the pattern denser and a little harder to scan at small sizes. Pick the lowest level that comfortably covers your situation rather than always reaching for the strongest one.
| Level | Recovery | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| L (Low) | About 7% | Clean, short-term indoor use on screens or fresh print where the code stays pristine. |
| M (Medium) | About 15% | Everyday printed codes and general business use; the sensible default for most jobs. |
| Q (Quartile) | About 25% | Outdoor signage, packaging, and industrial settings where wear or grime is likely. |
| H (High) | About 30% | Codes with a center logo, or anything exposed to heavy scuffing and damage. |
Matching QR code size to scan distance
A code only scans if the camera can resolve its individual modules from where people actually stand. A handy rule of thumb is the 10:1 ratio: the code should be at least one unit wide for every ten units of scanning distance. So a flyer held at arm’s length, roughly 30 cm away, needs a code around 3 cm wide, while a billboard read from 10 meters needs one close to a meter across. Build in a clear margin too, the quiet zone, of about four empty modules on every side so the camera can find the code’s edges.
Use these starting points and always test from the real viewing distance before a print run:
- Business cards and labels: at least about 0.8 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) wide.
- Flyers, menus, and posters: roughly 2 to 6 inches (5 to 15 cm), depending on reading distance.
- Billboards and large signage: follow the 10:1 ratio and lean generous; bigger is always safer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a QR code?
Choose a content type, enter your details, adjust the colors and dot style if you like, then download the code in your preferred format. The whole process happens in your browser and takes a few seconds.
Do these QR codes expire?
No. These are static QR codes, which means the data is baked into the pattern itself. They never expire and will keep working as long as the destination they point to still exists.
Are they free and private?
Yes. This is a free QR code generator, and it runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded to a server, so your links, passwords, and contact details stay on your device.
Can I customize the colors?
Yes. You can change the foreground and background colors and pick a dot style to match your brand. Just keep enough contrast so the code stays easy to scan.
Which format should I use for printing?
Use SVG for the sharpest results, since it scales to any size without losing quality. PDF is a great choice when the code goes into a document or a print-ready file.
Do you track scans?
No. Static codes have no tracking built in, and this tool adds none. There is no redirect service in the middle, so no one is counting or recording who scans your code.
What is the minimum size for a QR code?
There is no single fixed number, because it depends on scan distance and printing quality. As a practical guide, make printed codes at least about an inch (around 2.5 cm) wide, and larger for signage viewed from far away. When in doubt, go bigger and test.
Can I make a Wi-Fi QR code?
Yes. Select the Wi-Fi type, enter your network name and password, and download the code. Guests can scan it to connect without you reading out the password.
What error correction level should I use?
For most printed codes, Medium (about 15%) strikes the right balance between durability and a clean, easy-to-scan pattern. Step up to Quartile or High only when the code will sit outdoors, on packaging, or carry a logo. Avoid defaulting to High on small codes, since the extra density can actually make them harder to scan.
Can I add a logo to a QR code?
Yes, a small logo can sit in the center of a code, but plan for it. Because the logo covers part of the pattern, use the High error correction level so the code can still be read, keep the logo to roughly a quarter of the area or less, and scan the final result with a few phones to confirm it works.
Why won’t my QR code scan?
The usual culprits are low contrast, a missing quiet zone, a code printed too small for the viewing distance, or over-styling that blurs the pattern. Use a dark code on a light background, leave a clear margin around it, size it for the scan distance, and keep custom colors and dot shapes restrained enough that the pattern stays crisp.
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