How to make a QR code
- Choose Link or text for a web address, a phone number, a short message or any other text, or Wi-Fi to share a network login.
- Type or paste the content. The preview is redrawn as you type, and the line under it shows the QR version, the size of the grid in modules and how many bytes your content takes.
- If you like, change the Error correction level and the Color and Background.
- Pick a Download size, then click Download PNG for an image file or SVG for a vector file.
- Scan the downloaded file with one or two phones before you print or publish it.
What the options do
- Link or text: the content is stored exactly as typed, encoded as UTF-8, so accented letters, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and emoji all work. Start web addresses with
https://so that phones recognise them as links and offer to open them. - Wi-Fi: enter the network name (SSID), the password and the security type. Most routers use WPA2 or WPA3, which are both covered by the first option. Choose None (open network) for a network without a password, and tick Hidden network only if the router does not broadcast its name. Characters such as
;,:and,in the name or password are escaped for you. - Download size: the approximate width of the PNG in pixels. Each module is drawn as a whole number of pixels to keep the edges crisp, so the file may be a few pixels off the chosen size. The SVG is a vector drawing that stays sharp at any size.
- Color and Background: any combination works as long as the code is clearly darker than the background. A warning appears when the contrast is too low or the colors are inverted.
Every code comes with a blank border four modules wide, called the quiet zone. Scanners need it to find the edge of the code, so don’t crop it off or place the code right up against other graphics.
Error correction levels and capacity
QR codes use Reed–Solomon error correction: extra codewords are added so that a scanner can rebuild parts of the code that are dirty, damaged or covered. The four levels can recover roughly 7%, 15%, 25% and 30% of the code. The price is space: the same text needs a larger, denser code at a higher level.
The generator automatically uses the smallest of the 40 QR versions that fits. Version 1 is a grid of 21 × 21 modules, and each version adds four modules per side, up to 177 × 177 for version 40. Content is stored in byte mode, so the most this generator can fit into one code is:
| Level | Recovers about | Maximum content |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 7% | 2,953 bytes |
| Medium | 15% | 2,331 bytes |
| Quartile | 25% | 1,663 bytes |
| High | 30% | 1,273 bytes |
In UTF-8 a plain English letter or digit is one byte, most accented letters are two, and Korean, Chinese and Japanese characters are usually three. If the content does not fit, the tool tells you; shorten it or choose a lower level. Medium is a good default for screens and indoor print. Choose Quartile or High for codes that will get wet, scuffed or partly covered, such as outdoor signs, stickers and labels on equipment.
Examples
- A short link:
https://godtools.devis 20 bytes. At Medium it fits in version 2 (25 × 25 modules); at High it needs version 3 (29 × 29). - Café Wi-Fi: network
CafeGuest, passwordlatte2024, WPA. The generator encodesWIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:latte2024;;, which is 36 bytes and gives version 3 at Medium. For a table card that gets wiped every day, High error correction (version 5, 37 × 37) is a sensible choice. - A long tracking link: a 116-character product URL with campaign parameters needs version 7 (45 × 45) at Medium and version 10 (57 × 57) at High. A shorter address gives larger modules at the same printed size, and a code that scans more easily.
Tips for printing and sharing
- Use SVG for print shops and design software, and PNG for slides, documents and messaging apps.
- For a code scanned at arm’s length, about 2–3 cm (1 inch) across is a practical minimum. Codes on posters or shop windows that people read from further away need to be proportionally larger.
- Dark on light is the safe choice. Some scanners can’t read light-on-dark (inverted) codes, and pale colors such as yellow or light grey on white often fail.
- Add a short line of text next to the code saying what it does, such as “Scan for the menu” or “Scan to join the Wi-Fi”.
FAQ
Do these QR codes expire?
No. These are static codes: the link or text is stored in the pattern itself, not on a server, so there is no account or subscription that can lapse. The other side of this is that a printed code can’t be edited. If the destination might change, point the code at an address you control and redirect it from there when needed.
Can I see how many people scanned my code?
Not from the code itself, because scanning it never contacts this site. If you need numbers, link to a page whose visits you already measure, or add tracking parameters such as UTM tags to the link.
Can I put a logo in the middle?
The generator doesn’t add logos. If you add one yourself in an image editor, use High error correction, keep the logo small and away from the three large corner squares, and test the result on several phones.
Can I use the codes commercially?
Yes, for any purpose, with no watermark and no sign-up. The QR format was invented by Denso Wave in 1994 and is published as an open international standard, ISO/IEC 18004.