QR Code Generator Free Online

How to create a QR code

Type or paste what you want the code to contain, such as a web address, a phone number, a Wi-Fi network or plain text, then choose a size and download the PNG.

How QR codes hold up in the real world

A QR code carries its data in a two-dimensional grid, along with error correction that lets scanners read it even when part of it is damaged, dirty or covered. That is why a code on a restaurant table survives coffee rings, and why a small logo placed over the centre usually still scans.

The three large squares in the corners are position markers: they tell the scanner where the code is and which way up it sits, which is why a phone reads a code at an angle without you having to line it up.

Printing codes that actually scan

Most failures come down to three things. Size: keep a printed code at least 2 × 2 cm, and larger for anything scanned from a distance. A poster read from three metres needs roughly 30 cm. Quiet zone: leave clear white space around the code equal to about four modules; crowding it with text is a common cause of failure. Contrast: dark code on a light background. Inverted or low-contrast colour schemes look smart and frequently do not scan at all.

Test the printed article, not the screen version, and test on both an old phone and a new one before committing to a print run.

Frequently asked questions

Do these codes expire?

No. The data is encoded in the pattern itself, so there is no service to keep running and nothing to renew. Codes from tracking services stop working when the service does. These will not.

Can I change where it points later?

Not without generating a new code. If you need that, encode a URL you control and redirect from your own server.

How much can one hold?

Thousands of characters in theory, but shorter data makes a simpler pattern that scans faster and prints smaller. Keep URLs short.

Is my data uploaded?

No. The code is drawn in your browser.