QR Code Generator
Create a QR code for any text or link, then download it as a PNG.
Short answer: Create a free QR code from any text, website URL, phone number, or email address. The code renders instantly in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded — and you can download it as an image for flyers, business cards, packaging, or presentations.
Last updated: October 13, 2026
How it works
Type or paste any text — most people use a website link — and a QR code for it appears automatically. The code encodes the text itself, not a redirect, so it never expires and nobody can track who scans it.
Use Download PNG to save the image for printing, packaging, menus, or sharing. Always scan the code with your own phone camera once before you print a hundred copies.
A worked example
The tool loads with a code already generated for this site:
Point your phone camera at the code on the right and it opens the link directly. Replace the text with your own menu, Wi-Fi note, or event page and the code rebuilds as you type.
Frequently asked questions
What can I put in a QR code?
Any text: a website URL, a Wi-Fi name, an email address, or a short note. Phones automatically open codes that contain a link; other text is simply displayed.
Do QR codes from here expire?
No. The code encodes your text directly rather than pointing at a tracking service, so it works forever and cannot be switched off or metered by anyone.
Is my link tracked or stored?
No. The code is generated in your browser from the text you type. There is no redirect, no analytics, and nothing is uploaded.
What size is the downloaded image?
A 220×220 pixel PNG, which prints cleanly at small sizes like stickers, cards, and table tents. Keep at least a finger-width of size and good contrast for reliable scanning.
Why should I test the code before printing?
A typo in the text is baked into the code forever. One test scan with your own camera confirms it opens exactly what you intended.
Do QR codes expire?
Static codes — like the ones generated here — never expire, because the data lives in the pattern itself. Dynamic codes from redirect services can stop working if the service shuts down.
What is the quiet zone?
The blank margin around the code, at least four modules wide. Scanners need that empty border to detect where the pattern starts and ends — a code cropped tight to its edges often fails to scan.
How big should a printed QR code be?
At least 2 cm square, and follow the 1:10 rule of thumb: a code scanned from a meter away should be about 10 cm across. Bigger is always safer than smaller.
Can a QR code store a Wi-Fi password?
Yes — Wi-Fi credentials are one of the standard QR payloads, and phones offer to join the network when they scan one. Never print such a code anywhere the public can photograph it.
Making QR codes that scan reliably
A QR code is just data drawn as a grid — URLs, plain text, Wi-Fi credentials, contact cards, and email addresses all fit. The codes this generator produces are static: the data is encoded directly into the pattern, so the code works forever with no service in the middle. Dynamic codes, by contrast, encode a redirect link owned by some provider; they let you change the destination later, but they can stop working if the provider shuts down or the subscription lapses. For anything permanent — a business card, product packaging — static is the safer choice.
Design rules that decide whether it scans
Contrast. Dark modules on a light background, always. Inverted or low-contrast codes are the number-one reason for scan failures. The quiet zone. Leave a blank margin around the code at least four modules wide — scanners need that empty border to find the pattern's edges. Size versus distance. A rough rule is a 1:10 ratio: a code scanned from 1 meter away should be about 10 cm across, and nothing printed smaller than about 2 cm square scans comfortably. Less data scans easier. A short URL produces a sparser, more forgiving pattern than a paragraph of text; link shorteners exist partly for this reason.
That last step is the one people skip: always test-scan before you print. Phone cameras, lighting, glossy paper, and curved surfaces all affect readability, and a code that looks perfect on screen can fail on a wine bottle. Also think about what you encode — a QR code on a public poster should never contain a password or anything else you would not print in plain text, because anyone with a camera can read it.
How do I make a QR code for a website URL?
Paste the full address, including the https:// prefix — some scanners handle bare domains poorly. Keep the URL as short as you reasonably can: shorter content makes a simpler code with bigger modules, which scans faster and survives printing at small sizes.
If the link is long, shorten it first with any URL shortener, then encode the short version. Always test-scan with your own phone before printing a batch of flyers or cards.
What can I put in a QR code besides a link?
Any short text works: a phone number recipients can tap to call, an email address that opens a compose window, a plain-text Wi-Fi password for a guest-network sign, or simple instructions like booth numbers at an event.
A standard QR code holds roughly 4,000 alphanumeric characters, but shorter is better — codes with less data use larger modules and scan more reliably, especially on curved surfaces or in dim light.