QR code generator
Make a QR code for a link, text, email, phone number or SMS. Live preview, PNG and SVG downloads and codes that never expire.
Guide
How to use it
- Pick what to encode: URL, text, email, phone or SMS. WiFi and contact cards have their own pages.
- Fill in the content. The code redraws as you type.
- Choose a download size and error correction level. M suits most uses.
- Point your phone camera at the preview to test it.
- Download as PNG for screens and documents, or SVG for print at any size.
Examples
Worked examples
Type example.com/menu as a URL. The https:// prefix is added for you. Print at 4 cm for arm's length scanning and laminate it.
Choose Phone and enter +44 1482 000000. Scanning opens the dialler with the number filled in, one tap to call.
Choose Text and paste a serial number or a short instruction. The scanner shows it directly, no internet needed at scan time.
Method
How it works
Your content is encoded with the standard QR algorithm (Reed-Solomon error correction over data modules) by a small open source library running in this page. The black and white grid you see is the actual code, drawn on a canvas, and the downloads are rendered from the same data.
Because the content is baked into the pattern itself, the code is static: no server, no redirect, no expiry and no scan tracking. Whatever you type stays on your device.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do these QR codes expire?
No. The code is generated entirely in your browser and encodes your content directly, so it works forever. Codes that expire come from services that route scans through their own server. More on that on the no sign-up page.
Should I download PNG or SVG?
PNG for screens, documents and most print jobs. SVG for professional printing and large formats, it scales to any size without blurring.
What size should a printed QR code be?
A rough rule: printed width should be at least one tenth of the scanning distance. A poster read from 2 metres needs a code about 20 cm wide. Never print below 2 cm.
What does error correction do?
It adds redundancy so a smudged or partly covered code still scans. L survives 7% damage, M 15%, Q 25% and H 30%. Higher levels make the code denser.
Can I put a logo in the middle?
This generator keeps codes clean, but if you add a logo in an image editor, use error correction H and keep the logo under about a fifth of the width, then test before printing.
Do QR codes track people who scan them?
A static code like these cannot track anyone, it is just data. Tracking happens when a service encodes a redirect link through their server. Here the code contains only what you typed.
How much data fits in a QR code?
Up to about 4,000 characters at low error correction, far less at high. Short links scan faster and stay printable at small sizes, so keep the content lean.
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