QR Code Generator
Type a link or text, get a QR code instantly. Free, no sign-up, and the codes never expire.
How to use it
Enter the address you want people to open, or switch to Wi-Fi to let guests join your network by scanning. The code updates as you type. Download it as a PNG for documents and screens, or as an SVG to print at any size without blurring.
Tips for codes that scan reliably
- Keep strong contrast: dark code on a light background.
- Leave a blank margin around the code — this tool adds one.
- Shorter text makes a simpler code that is easier to scan at small sizes.
- Test the printed code with a phone before you send it to print.
FAQ
Do these QR codes expire?
No. The data is stored inside the code itself, so it works as long as the address or text is valid. Nothing is stored on our servers.
Is my Wi-Fi password sent anywhere?
No. The code is generated in your browser and the password never leaves your device.
Can I use the codes commercially?
Yes. Codes you create are yours to use anywhere.
Making a code step by step
- Leave Type on "Link or text" and paste the address or message. The preview redraws on every keystroke, so you can watch the pattern change as the text grows.
- For a guest network, switch Type to "Wi-Fi network", enter the network name exactly as it appears on a phone, add the password, and pick the security type your router uses (WPA/WPA2/WPA3, WEP or none).
- Choose a Size (256, 512 or 1024 px) and an Error correction level. The defaults, 512 px and Medium, suit most uses.
- Press Download PNG for a fixed-size bitmap or Download SVG for a file that stays sharp at any size. Before printing, scan it once with a phone.
What is inside the pattern
A QR code is a grid of dark and light squares called modules. The smallest grid, version 1, is 21 by 21 modules; each higher version adds four modules per side. This tool lets the library pick the smallest version that holds your text at the error-correction level you chose, so a short link gives a coarse, easy-to-scan code and a long paragraph gives a dense one. Text is encoded as UTF-8 bytes, which means accented letters, Korean, Japanese and emoji work, but they use more than one byte each and fill the code faster.
If the content cannot fit even in the largest version, the tool shows a "Too much text" message instead of a broken image. In byte mode the ceiling is roughly 2,900 characters of plain ASCII at the Low level, and noticeably less at High.
Error correction, in practice
QR codes carry redundant data so a scanner can rebuild missing parts. The four levels are designed to recover about 7% (Low), 15% (Medium), 25% (Quartile) and 30% (High) of the code. Higher levels cost space: the same text needs a larger grid, so each square becomes smaller at a given print size. Use Low for a screen on a desk or a clean printed page, Medium as an everyday default, and Quartile or High for stickers, outdoor posters or anything likely to be scratched, folded or dirty. Do not use High just to be safe on a tiny label; the denser grid is often harder to read than a simpler one.
Sizes and the quiet zone
Scanners need a blank border, called the quiet zone, around the code. This tool always adds four modules of white on every side. For the PNG, the module size is a whole number of pixels so edges stay crisp. For example, a version 1 code is 21 modules wide, which with the border makes a 29-module square. At 512 px that gives 17 px per module, a 357 px code centred in the image. The unused few pixels become extra white margin. The SVG stores the same layout as a single vector path, so scaling it to a business card or a banner never blurs the edges.
Wi-Fi codes
The Wi-Fi option builds the standard text string that phone cameras recognise, in the form WIFI:T:WPA;S:name;P:password;;. Characters that have a special meaning in that string (backslash, semicolon, comma, colon and double quote) are escaped automatically, so a password such as a;b:c still works. Choosing "None" leaves out the password part. The tool has no option for hidden networks, so a hidden SSID may need to be entered by hand on some devices.
Where people use them
- Menus and flyers: link to a page, a booking form or a map location.
- Guest Wi-Fi: print the code and frame it so visitors never ask for the password.
- Business cards and slides: a link to a portfolio or a download page.
- Labels and inventory: short text such as a part number or a room name.
Common mistakes
- Encoding a link that includes tracking parameters. The longer the address, the denser and harder to scan the code becomes. A short, clean address makes a better code.
- Typing a link without
https://. Some scanners treat it as plain text and only offer to search for it. - Printing too small. As a rough rule, keep the code at least two centimetres wide, and larger if people scan from a distance.
- Placing a logo or decoration on top. This tool does not add logos, and covering part of a code uses up its error-correction budget.
- Inverting colours. Light-on-dark codes fail on many scanners; the output here is always black on white.
More questions
Why does the code look different when I change error correction?
The extra recovery data has to be stored somewhere, so a higher level usually needs a bigger grid with smaller squares. The content is identical; only the redundancy changes.
Can I change the colours?
No. The tool deliberately produces black modules on a white background, because that combination is the most reliable for scanners and printers.
If I edit the text later, does the old code update?
No. The code holds the text itself, not a reference to it. A changed link needs a new code, so print only after the address is final.