QR code generator: free, private and permanent
A QR code generator turns a link, message, contact, Wi-Fi login or event into a square barcode that a phone camera can read. To make one here, choose a QR code type (URL, Text, Email, Phone, SMS, WiFi, vCard, Event or Location), fill in the fields and the code appears in the preview straight away. Then click Download PNG or Download SVG. The codes are static, so they never expire and need no account.
It runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded (you can check the Network tab in DevTools), which matters for a code that holds a Wi-Fi password or a contact card. Because the content sits in the pattern itself and there is no redirect server, a printed code cannot be edited later: make a new one if the content changes. Open Show the encoded text under the preview to see exactly what a code stores.
Need a different kind of code? The barcode generator makes Code 128, EAN-13 and ISBN barcodes, and the ticket generator can print numbered event tickets with a QR code on each.
Table of Use: which QR code type for which job
| Type | What you enter | What a phone offers after scanning |
|---|---|---|
| URL | A web address; example.com is stored as https://example.com | Open the website |
| Text | Any message in any language; a byte counter shows the space used | Show the text |
| Address, optional subject and message | Start a new email with the fields filled in | |
| Phone | +1 (555) 123-4567 ext. 89, stored as tel:+15551234567;ext=89 | Offer to call the number |
| SMS | Number and optional message | Open the messaging app with the text ready |
| WiFi | Network name, security, password, hidden or not | Offer to join the network without typing the password |
| vCard | Name, email, phone, company, job title, website | Offer to save a contact |
| Event | Title, place, start and end date and time, description | Offer to add a calendar entry |
| Location | Latitude and longitude, such as 40.7128 and -74.006 | Open a map at that point |
Features
- Nine QR code types with a preview that updates as you type and a plain-language message when something is missing or wrong.
- Careful link handling. A bare address gets https:// in front, localhost and bare IP addresses such as 192.168.1.1 get http://, and a note tells you what was done.
- Clean phone numbers. Spaces, dashes and brackets are removed, a (0) after a country code is dropped, and letters or more than 15 digits after the + are rejected.
- Wi-Fi and contact escaping. Special characters in a Wi-Fi name or password, and in vCard and event text, are escaped so scanners read them correctly.
- Event times stored in UTC. Leave the start time empty for an all-day event. Otherwise the time you enter is read in your device's time zone and stored in UTC, and an end before the start is flagged.
- Location accepts decimals with a point or a comma, checks the ranges, and offers Use my current location, which asks your browser for permission and only fills the two boxes.
- Colours and contrast. Pick colours or type hex codes, including 8-digit hex for a transparent background. Inverted or low-contrast choices trigger a warning.
- Five sizes from 128 × 128 to 2048 × 2048 px and four error correction levels: Low (~7%), Medium (~15%), Quartile (~25%) and High (~30%).
- Three outputs. Download PNG for websites, documents and chats; Download SVG for print, because it stays sharp at any size; or Copy PNG as data URL. Files are named like qr-code-wifi.png and include the four-module border scanners need, drawn in your Background colour (white by default).
To paste the copied data URL into code, see the data URL converter. If a link contains spaces or symbols, tidy it first with the URL encoder.
How to make a QR code, step by step
- Under QR code type, click the kind of code you need, for example WiFi.
- Fill in the fields, such as Network name (SSID), Security and Password. The preview updates as you type.
- Under Customization, choose the Code colour, Background, Size (px) and Error correction.
- Open Show the encoded text if you want to check exactly what the code stores.
- Click Download PNG or Download SVG, or Copy PNG as data URL.
- Scan the result with a phone before you print it or share it.
For a Wi-Fi code, create a strong network password with the password generator. To shrink a large PNG, use the image compressor, and to change its pixel size use the image resizer.
Who can use it
- Cafés, hosts and offices sharing a Wi-Fi login on a small printed card, or a menu link at the table.
- Small businesses and freelancers putting a contact card on printed material, such as a card made with the business card generator.
- Event organisers adding the date and venue to an invitation, or a map point for a meeting place, next to a printable calendar from the calendar generator.
- Teachers and trainers sharing a link to course material on a slide or worksheet.
- Designers and print shops who need a vector SVG code to place in artwork.
FAQs
How do I create a QR code for free without signing up?
Choose the QR code type (URL, Text, Email, Phone, SMS, WiFi, vCard, Event or Location), fill in the fields and the code appears in the preview straight away. Set the colours, size and error correction if you want, then click Download PNG or Download SVG. There is no account to create and no watermark on the result.
Do these QR codes expire, and what is a static QR code?
A static QR code stores its content, such as a link or Wi-Fi details, in the black-and-white pattern itself. These codes never expire and need no server, as long as the printed or saved image survives. A dynamic code instead points at a redirect service, which allows edits but stops working if the service ends. A static code cannot be edited, so make a new one if the content changes.
How does a Wi-Fi QR code work?
It stores the network name, security type and password in the standard WIFI: format that the camera apps on most current iPhones and Android phones understand, so scanning offers to join the network. Characters such as ; , : " and \ in the name or password are escaped automatically so they are read correctly. Choose No password for an open network, and tick Hidden network if the name is not broadcast.
How much text fits in a QR code?
Up to 2,953 bytes at error correction L, 2,331 at M, 1,663 at Q and 1,273 at H. Plain English letters take one byte each; accented letters, other alphabets and emoji take two to four bytes, so fewer of them fit. The Text box shows how many bytes you have used. Long content makes a dense code that is harder to scan, so keep it short where you can.
Which error correction level should I choose?
Medium (M) suits most uses and is the default. Low (L) makes the smallest, simplest pattern for clean screens. Quartile (Q) or High (H) let a code survive scratches, dirt or creases on printed material, at the cost of a denser pattern. Roughly 7%, 15%, 25% and 30% of the code can be damaged at each level and still be read.
What size should a printed QR code be?
A common rule of thumb is that a code can be scanned from about ten times its width, so a 2.5 cm (1 inch) code works from roughly 25 cm away, and a poster read from 2 metres needs a code about 20 cm wide. Always test-scan a printout first. For print, the SVG download scales to any size without blurring.
Can I change the colours or make the background transparent?
Yes, but keep a dark code on a light background, because black on white is the most reliable. The tool warns you when the code is lighter than the background (many scanners cannot read inverted codes) or when the contrast is low. Colours are hex codes, and an 8-digit hex code such as #ffffff00 gives a transparent background.
Is it safe to make a QR code online, and is my data uploaded?
Nothing you type is uploaded: the code is drawn by JavaScript in your browser, including Wi-Fi passwords. Anyone who scans or photographs the finished code can read what it contains, though, so show a Wi-Fi code only where the right people can see it, and change the password if the code leaks.