How to Create a QR Code for Free: Link, Wi-Fi, Email and Phone

What is a QR code?

QR stands for Quick Response. The code was invented in 1994 by a Japanese company called Denso Wave to track car parts in factories, and it is now used everywhere. A QR code stores information in a pattern of squares. When a phone camera reads the pattern, the information, such as a web address, appears on the screen.

Most modern phones read QR codes with the normal camera app, so the person who scans your code does not need to install anything.

Types of QR codes you can create

• Link or text. Opens a website when scanned, or shows a short message. This is the most common type.
• Wi-Fi. Lets guests join your network without typing the password. The phone fills in the name, password and security type.
• Email. Opens a new email with the address, subject and message already filled in.
• Phone. Starts a call to your number with one tap.

How to make a QR code step by step

• Step 1: Choose the type. Pick link or text, Wi-Fi, email or phone.
• Step 2: Enter your details. Type the web address, the network details or the contact information. The code updates as you type.
• Step 3: Style it. Choose the colors and the error correction level, and pick the download size.
• Step 4: Download. Save the code as a PNG for screens and documents, or as an SVG for print.
• Step 5: Test it. Scan the code with your phone before you share or print it.

Ideas for using QR codes

• A restaurant or cafe menu. Put a link to your menu on the table, so guests can open it on their phone.
• Wi-Fi for guests. Print a Wi-Fi code and stick it near the router. Visitors join the network with one scan.
• A business card. Add a link to your website or a phone code, so people can save your details quickly.
• A shop door or window. Show a phone or email code with a short line such as Scan to contact us.
• Posters and flyers. Send readers from paper to your website, a form or a video.

PNG or SVG: which should you download?

A PNG is made of a fixed number of pixels. It is perfect for screens, documents, presentations and social media posts, but it can look blurry if you enlarge it a lot. An SVG is made of shapes instead of pixels, so it stays perfectly sharp at any size. Choose SVG when you print a large poster, a banner or a sign, and PNG for everything else.

Error correction levels explained

A QR code contains extra data that lets a scanner read it even when part of it is dirty, scratched or covered. The error correction level tells you how much of the code can be damaged and still be read.

• Low (7%). The smallest and simplest code. Good for screens where the code stays clean.
• Medium (15%). A balanced choice for most uses.
• Quartile (25%). Better for printed codes that may get a little worn.
• High (30%). The most forgiving, but the pattern is denser. Use it for rough surfaces or when a logo covers part of the code.

How big should a QR code be?

A good rule of thumb is that the code should be about one tenth of the distance it is scanned from. A code that people scan from 1 meter away should be about 10 cm wide, and one scanned from 3 meters should be about 30 cm wide. For anything that is held in the hand, such as a business card, do not go smaller than about 2 cm.

A longer link makes a denser code with smaller squares, and a denser code needs more size to be read reliably. If your code has to be small, use a short link.

Tips for a QR code that scans every time

• Keep strong contrast. Use a dark code on a light background. This is what almost every scanner expects.
• Leave a clear border. The empty margin around the code helps the camera find its edges. Do not crop it.
• Do not stretch it. Keep the code perfectly square.
• Use short links. Less data makes a simpler code that scans faster and from further away.
• Avoid curved or shiny surfaces. Glare and bends make scanning harder.
• Add a call to action. A short line such as Scan to view the menu tells people why they should scan.

Static QR codes never expire

The codes made here are static, which means the information is stored in the pattern itself. They never expire, have no scan limit and do not depend on a company that could shut down. The other side of this is that a static code cannot be edited. If your link changes, make a new code and replace the old one.

Make sure that the page your code points to stays online, because a code that leads to a missing page is of no use.

Scan QR codes safely

• Check the address. Your phone shows the web address before it opens. Read it, and do not open it if it looks strange.
• Be careful with stickers. Someone can stick a different code over a real one. If a code looks like it was added later, do not scan it.
• Never enter passwords after an unknown scan. Do not type a password or card details on a page that you reached from a code that you do not trust.

Common problems and fixes

• The code will not scan. Check the contrast, make the code bigger and keep the border. A dark code on a light background works best.
• The code looks too dense. The link is probably long. Use a shorter link, or a higher size.
• The code opens the wrong page. A typo in the link is the usual cause. Test the link in a browser first, then make the code again.
• The printed code looks blurry. Download the SVG for print, or a larger PNG.

Create your QR code now

Use our free QR code generator to make a link, text, Wi-Fi, email or phone code in seconds. What you type is turned into a code in your browser and is never uploaded. It is free, adds no watermark and needs no signup.

Frequently asked questions