How to Create a QR Code That Works (and Keeps Working)
QR Code GeneratorQR codes for links, Wi-Fi and contacts. Free, no sign-up.A QR code is just data drawn as squares: a link, a Wi-Fi login, a contact card or plain text. Phones read it with the camera. Making one takes a minute. Making one that still works in a year, and scans from a poster across the room, takes a little care.
Create a code
- Open the QR Code Generator.
- Choose the QR code type: Website, Text, Wi-Fi, Contact, Email, Phone, SMS, WhatsApp or UPI payment.
- Fill in the details. The code updates as you type.
- Optionally change the Style, Color and Background, or add a small logo in the middle.
- Download a PNG (pick a large size for print) or an SVG (sharp at any size, best for designers and printers).
Static codes never expire
Many “free” QR sites create a short link on their own server and put that in the code. If the site shuts down or starts charging, every printed code breaks. The codes made here are static: the content itself is stored in the code, with no service in between, so they keep working forever.
The trade-off: you cannot change a static code after printing. For a menu or a flyer, point it at a page you control (your website, or a shared document) and update that page instead.
Common uses
- Wi-Fi for guests: type the network name and password, keep WPA/WPA2/WPA3 security, and print it for the wall or the fridge. Guests join without typing the password.
- Business card: the Contact type creates a card your phone offers to save, with name, phone, email, company and website.
- Events and posters: a Website code linking to the sign-up page.
- Product labels: a Text or Website code with instructions or a manual link. For checkout systems and inventory, use a classic barcode from the Barcode Generator instead.
Make it scan reliably
- Contrast: dark code on a light background. Light-on-dark and low-contrast colors fail on many phones.
- Quiet zone: leave a white margin around the code, at least four modules (the small squares) wide.
- Size: at least 2 cm (about 1 inch) wide for something held in the hand; bigger for posters, roughly 1 cm of code per 10 cm of scanning distance.
- Short content: long links make dense codes. Shorter URLs scan more easily.
- Logos: keep them small, and raise Error correction to Q or H so the code survives the missing area.
Test before printing
Scan the downloaded file with two different phones, or upload it to the QR Code Scanner to see exactly what it contains. Then print one test copy at the final size.
Everything is generated in your browser; your Wi-Fi password and contact details are not sent anywhere.