How to use the QR Code Generator
- Pick the kind of QR code you need: URL, Text, Wi-Fi, Email, Phone, SMS, vCard or Location.
- Fill in the details. The preview updates as you type.
- Optionally change the colors, size, quiet zone and error correction, or add your logo in the center.
- Test the code with your phone camera, then click Download PNG for screens and documents or Download SVG for print.
Features
- Eight content types, including Wi-Fi login and vCard contacts
- Static codes that work forever with no tracking or redirect
- Custom foreground and background colors with contrast warnings
- Center logo with automatic high error correction
- PNG up to 1024 px and infinitely scalable SVG
- Built-in scan test in browsers that can read QR codes
Static QR codes that never expire
Many QR code websites create a dynamic code that points to their own short link, which then redirects to your content. That lets them count scans, but it also means the code stops working if you stop paying or the service shuts down. This generator creates static codes: your link, Wi-Fi details or contact card are stored directly in the pattern. There is no middleman, no tracking and no expiry date, and the code is built in your browser without sending your data anywhere.
What each type contains
| Type | What is encoded | What the phone does |
|---|---|---|
| URL | https://example.com | Opens the website |
| Wi-Fi | WIFI:T:WPA;S:name;P:password;; | Offers to join the network |
mailto: address with subject and body | Opens a new email | |
| Phone | tel:+15551234567 | Opens the dialer |
| SMS | SMSTO:number:message | Opens a new text message |
| vCard | A vCard 3.0 contact | Offers to save the contact |
| Location | geo:latitude,longitude | Opens a map app |
In Wi-Fi codes, backslashes, semicolons, commas, colons and quotation marks in the network name or password must be escaped with a backslash. The generator does that for you, which avoids the most common reason Wi-Fi codes fail.
Error correction and logos
QR codes use Reed–Solomon error correction, so a scanner can rebuild missing or damaged parts. Level L recovers about 7% of the data, M about 15%, Q about 25% and H about 30%. Higher levels add redundancy, which makes the pattern denser. Use M for screens and clean print, Q or H for codes that may get scratched, and always H when a logo covers the middle. The logo here covers roughly 5% of the code, comfortably inside what level H can repair.
Size, contrast and quiet zone
- Printed size: a common guideline is that a code should be at least one tenth of the scanning distance wide, so a poster read from 2 meters needs a code about 20 cm across. For business cards, 2 cm is a practical minimum.
- Contrast: scanners expect dark modules on a light background. Light-on-dark codes and pastel color pairs fail on many phones.
- Quiet zone: the empty border lets the camera find the edges. The specification calls for four modules; do not crop it away.
- Less data, bigger modules: a short URL produces a simpler code that scans faster from farther away.
PNG or SVG?
PNG is ideal for websites, slides and documents. SVG is a vector format that stays perfectly sharp at any size, which printers and designers prefer for flyers, packaging and signs. Before printing hundreds of copies, scan a test print with two different phones. Need a product barcode instead? Use the Barcode Generator.
Frequently asked questions
Do these QR codes expire?
No. They are static codes with your content stored directly in the pattern, so they keep working as long as the content (for example, your website) exists. There is no account and no redirect service involved.
Can I track how many people scan my QR code?
Not with a static code. If you need scan counts, point the code at a URL with tracking parameters, such as one made with the UTM Builder, and read the visits in your analytics.
Why will my QR code not scan?
The usual causes are low contrast, light modules on a dark background, a cropped quiet zone, a printed size that is too small for the distance, or a logo that is too large. Reset the colors to black on white and keep a margin of 4 to test.
Is my Wi-Fi password safe?
The code is generated in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Keep in mind that anyone who can see the printed code can join your network, so consider using a guest network for public display.
Can I use these QR codes commercially?
Yes. The codes are free to use on products, packaging, menus and marketing material without attribution. “QR Code” is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE, which allows the standard to be used freely.