QR Code Generator

What is a QR code generator?

A QR code generator converts text - most often a URL - into a Quick Response code: the square grid of black and white modules that any modern phone camera can scan. Invented in 1994 for tracking automotive parts, QR codes are now the standard bridge between the physical and digital worlds: restaurant menus, event tickets, payment terminals, product packaging, conference badges, and Wi-Fi sharing all rely on them.

This tool encodes your text into a QR code instantly as you type, right in your browser. You control the image size (128 to 512 pixels) and the error-correction level, watch the live preview update, and download the result as a crisp PNG ready for print or web. Because generation is local, the content you encode - private links, Wi-Fi passwords, contact details - is never sent anywhere, and the code itself contains no tracking redirect: it points directly at whatever you typed.

How to use the QR code generator

1. Enter your content in the text box - a URL, a piece of text, a phone number, or a structured payload like Wi-Fi credentials. The preview updates as you type.
2. Pick a size. 256 × 256 works for most screens and documents; choose 512 × 512 if you plan to print the code or place it on a poster.
3. Choose an error-correction level. Medium (15%) is a good default. Raise it to Quartile or High if the code will live in harsh conditions - small print, lamination glare, or partial obstruction.
4. Check the live preview on the right, and scan it with your phone to verify it behaves as expected.
5. Click Download PNG to save the image. The file has a white background and a proper quiet zone, so it can be dropped straight into designs.

Examples

Link to a website

https://yoursite.com/menu

The classic use case. Keep URLs short - a 40-character link produces a much cleaner, easier-to-scan grid than a 300-character one with tracking parameters. If you use a URL shortener, remember the short domain must stay alive for the code to keep working.

Share Wi-Fi access

WIFI:T:WPA;S:CoffeeShopGuest;P:latte4life;;

Phones that scan this format prompt the user to join the network directly - no typing. T is the security type, S the network name, and P the password.

Compose an email or call a number

mailto:hello@example.com?subject=Quote%20request

tel:+15551234567

Plain text

Table 12 - scan at checkout for your order

Anything that is not a recognized scheme is simply shown to the person scanning, which is useful for serial numbers, asset tags, and IDs - for instance, unique identifiers from the UUID Generator.

How QR codes work

A QR code encodes data as a grid of modules, together with three large finder squares (the corners) that let a scanner locate and orient the code from any angle, timing patterns that establish the grid spacing, and format information describing the error-correction level. The payload is encoded with Reed–Solomon error correction, which adds mathematically redundant modules - this is why a code with a scratch, a fold, or a logo covering part of it can still scan perfectly. Higher error-correction levels dedicate more of the grid to redundancy, which is a trade-off: more damage tolerance, but a denser and slightly harder-to-scan code for the same content length.

Best practices for scannable QR codes

• Respect the quiet zone. Keep a clear margin of at least four module-widths around the code; placing it flush against other graphics is the top cause of scan failures.
• Size for the scanning distance. A rough rule: the code should be at least one-tenth of the distance it will be scanned from. A poster scanned from 3 meters needs a code around 30 cm wide.
• Maintain contrast. Dark modules on a light background scan best. Avoid inverting colors or placing the code on busy imagery.
• Test before printing. Scan the final artwork with at least two different phones, at the real-world distance and lighting.
• Encode less, not more. Link to a page rather than embedding paragraphs of text. If you are debugging what a URL with query parameters actually contains, the JSON Formatter and Regex Tester are handy companions.

Frequently asked questions