QR Code Generator

Turn any link, message, email address or phone number into a QR code in seconds, the kind you’d print on a flyer, stick on a shop counter or drop into a slide deck. The code is built right in your browser, so whatever you encode never leaves your device, and the finished QR downloads as a PNG in three sizes.

Last updated: October 22, 2026

Written by Ateeq Fareedi · Last updated October 22, 2026

The formula

Your text is encoded into the QR alphanumeric/byte format
Error correction codewords are added so damaged codes still scan
Data is placed into the module grid with finder patterns
The grid is rendered as a PNG you can download

A worked example

Enter https://example.com and choose the 512 px size: the link is encoded in byte mode, arranged into a 25 × 25 module grid at error level M, and rendered as a crisp 512-pixel PNG ready to download.

More about the QR Code Generator

Make codes people actually scan

A QR code fails in the real world for boring physical reasons: printed too small, pasted on a busy background, or missing the quiet zone, the blank margin scanners need around the pattern. Keep codes black on white, at least 2 cm across for anything held in the hand, and scale up with distance: a poster scanned from two metres needs a code around 20 cm wide. Always test scan the finished, printed piece with your own phone before you print a thousand copies, screen previews lie about how ink, gloss and distance behave.

Put the code where the moment happens

The best QR code is the one scanned at the exact moment of intent: a review link on the receipt while the meal is still warm, the Wi-Fi code on the fridge rather than buried in a welcome email, the menu on the table instead of a PDF nobody can find. Pair every code with a plain instruction. "Scan for the menu" beats a naked square every time, and keep the destination stable, because reprinting is the expensive part. For anything printed in bulk, point the code at a link you control so the destination can change without the ink having to.

How to scan and decode a QR code

Every modern phone scans QR codes with its stock camera app: point, tap the popup. No separate scanner app is needed, and most standalone QR scanner apps are adware in disguise.

On desktop, scan with your phone or upload a screenshot to a QR decoder. The code just holds text, usually a URL, so glance at the previewed link before opening it.

Making codes is the reverse: paste your link or text in the generator above, download the image, and print it at least 2×2 cm for reliable scanning. Test scan every printed code before it goes out.

Sizing a code for the distance people will scan from

A useful rule of thumb is that a QR code should measure at least one tenth of the distance it will be scanned from. Work it through for a café table tent: phones hover about 30 centimetres away, so the code needs a bare minimum of 3 centimetres, and printing it at 4 centimetres buys margin for glare and cheaper phone cameras. The same rule scaled up is why a code on a shop window meant to be scanned from the pavement, roughly 3 metres back, should be around 30 centimetres wide.

The common mistake is designing at screen size and printing at whatever space is left over, which usually means too small. Decide the scanning situation first, compute the size, and then design the flyer or sign around that fixed square. If the space genuinely cannot fit the minimum size, move the code to where people stand closer, a counter card instead of a wall poster, rather than shrinking it and hoping phones will cope.

Long payloads make dense codes that scan badly

Every character you encode adds modules to the grid, so a long web address, a full paragraph of text or a complete contact card produces a dense, fine grained code that small printing and older cameras struggle with. Compare two approaches for a restaurant: encoding the entire menu as text makes a fragile code and a menu nobody can update, while encoding one short link to the menu page keeps the grid coarse, the scan fast and the menu editable whenever prices change.

Practical shortcuts keep payloads short without changing the destination. Use the shortest form of your address that still works, drop tracking parameters you do not genuinely need, and avoid encoding text that a short link could carry instead. Then test the finished code the way a stranger will meet it: printed, at arm’s length, in ordinary indoor light. A code that only scans when you hold your phone perfectly still is a code half your customers will abandon.

How to use the QR Code Generator

Type or paste your text, link or phone number.
Choose an image size and an error correction level.
Hit Generate QR code to preview it instantly.
Hit Download PNG to save it to your device.

Frequently asked questions

Is my data sent to a server?

No. The QR code is built entirely in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded, stored or tracked. Generation happens on your device, full stop.

Which error correction level should I pick?

Medium (M) is right for most uses. Step up to High (H) for codes that will be printed small, posted outdoors, or might get scuffed, at H, up to 30% of the code can be damaged and it still scans.

Can I encode Wi-Fi login details?

Yes, format it as WIFI:S:YourNetwork;T:WPA;P:YourPassword;; and any phone that scans it gets offered the connection directly. No more spelling out passwords at parties.

How much data can a QR code actually hold?

About 4,296 alphanumeric characters, but more data means a denser, harder to scan code, especially printed small. For reliable scanning, keep it to a short URL and shorten long links first.

Can I make a QR code for my phone number or email?

Yes. Encode `tel:+15551234567` and a scan opens the dialler with your number ready; `mailto:hello@example.com` opens a fresh email. For a full contact card, the vCard format packs your name, number, email and company into one scan.

Can I put my logo in the middle of a QR code?

Yes. Generate with high error correction, then overlay your logo in the centre, keeping it under about 30% of the code’s area, the error correction reconstructs the covered data. Test scan the final design on a real phone before printing hundreds.

What size should a QR code be for printing?

The classic mistake is going too small: keep printed codes at least 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 inch). Export at 1024 px for print, 256 px looks fine on screen but turns mushy on paper. And scan the actual printed piece with a real phone before ordering 500 flyers.

Can I use my brand colours in a QR code?

You can, but contrast is the rule that matters: dark modules on a light background scan reliably, while light on light or low contrast colour pairs often fail. Keep your brand colour as the dark modules on white or near white, leave the quiet zone (the blank border) untouched, and always test scan a print proof on a couple of different phones before a big print run.

What's the difference between a static and a dynamic QR code?

A static QR code encodes the destination directly, it's free, never expires, but you can't change where it points after printing. A dynamic QR code points to a redirect link you control, so you can update the destination anytime, but it usually requires a paid service and stops working if you cancel.

Do QR codes expire over time?

Static QR codes never expire, the pattern is just a permanent encoding of your link, and it works as long as the destination URL stays alive. Dynamic QR codes can stop working if the subscription behind them lapses, so for anything printed long term, prefer static.