Free QR Code Generator

Types of QR code you can create

If you type a website address without https://, the tool adds it for you. Check the code on your phone afterwards, because a few older sites still work only over plain http://.

Static and dynamic QR codes

This tool creates static QR codes, which store your content directly inside the pattern. That has clear benefits: no account, no scan limit, no expiry date and no third party in between. A code that links to a website keeps working for as long as that website does.

The trade-off is that a static code can't be edited. Change the content and you need a new code. It also has no scan tracking.

Dynamic codes from paid services point to a short link that the provider can redirect, which lets you change the destination and count scans. But they depend on that provider, and the code may stop working if the subscription or service ends.

A useful tip: for printed material, link to a page on your own website. You can then update that page at any time without reprinting the code.

Choosing an error correction level

Error correction adds spare data so a code can still be read when part of it is dirty, scratched or covered. More correction makes the pattern denser, so each square gets smaller at the same print size.

Long content needs more squares, and a QR code has a hard limit: about 2,953 bytes at Low, falling to about 1,273 at High. If the tool says your content is too long, shorten it or choose a lower level. Shorter content always scans more easily, so use a short web address where you can.

Print size and scanning distance

A widely used guideline is a 10:1 ratio: a person can scan from about ten times the width of the code. These are starting points, not guarantees, as they depend on the camera, lighting and how dense the code is:

Download SVG for print, because it stays sharp at any size. Use PNG for websites, documents and presentations. If you use PNG for print, pick the largest size available, which is 1024 pixels. Don't stretch a small image, since blurred edges make a code harder to read.

Design rules that keep a code scannable

• Use dark on light: a dark foreground on a light background scans best. The tool warns you if contrast is low or the colours are inverted, as some readers can't read inverted codes.
• Keep the empty border: scanners need the blank margin around the code, known as the quiet zone. The tool adds it automatically, so don't crop it or place the code tight against other artwork.
• Be careful with logos: this tool doesn't add logos. If you place one on top yourself, use High error correction, keep the logo small and away from the three large corner squares, and test it carefully.
• Choose matte where possible: glare on glossy or curved surfaces can stop a phone from reading the code.
• Say what it does: add a short line such as "Scan for our menu". People are more likely to scan when they know what they will get.

Test before you print

1. Scan it with at least two different phones, ideally one Android and one iPhone.
2. Check it goes to the exact page or shows the exact details you intended.
3. Print one copy at the final size and scan it from the distance people will really use.
4. Test it in the actual lighting, particularly for outdoor or evening use.

Running a shop or small company? See these practical ways small businesses can use QR codes.

Safety and privacy

Wi-Fi codes: your password is stored inside the code in readable form, so anyone who scans it, or takes a photo of it, can get it. Use a guest network for public places.

Contact codes: a printed vCard shares everything in it, so include only the details you are happy to make public.

Payments: this tool doesn't create payment QR codes. For Raast, bank or wallet payments, get your code from your bank or payment provider.

Scanning codes from others: fake stickers placed over real codes are a known scam. Check the web address your phone shows before you open it, and be especially careful if a page asks for a login or payment.