What a QR code is good for
A QR code is a square pattern that a phone camera can read. It saves people from typing. You can put one on a poster so that people open your website, on a menu so that customers see the price list, on a business card so that someone saves your details, or on the wall at home so that guests join the Wi-Fi without asking for the password.
Make a code for a link or text
- Open QR Code Generator and stay on the Link or text tab.
- Type or paste what the code should hold. It can be a web address, a phone number, a short message or any other text. The code updates as you type.
- Check the preview. Try the code with your own phone before you use it.
- Press Download PNG for sharing and printing, or Download SVG if you will print it large.
Everything happens in your browser, on your device. What you type is not sent to a server. The code also does not expire, because it holds the text itself and does not depend on Velfile after you download it.
Make a code for your Wi-Fi
- Open the Wi-Fi tab.
- Type the network name (also called the SSID) and the password.
- Choose the security type. Most home networks use WPA / WPA2 / WPA3. Choose No password for an open network, and tick Hidden network only if your network name is not shown in the list of networks.
- Download the code and print it, or keep it on your phone.
A phone that scans this code can join the network without anyone typing the password. Keep in mind that anyone who can scan the code can also read the password from it, so put it only where you would be happy to say the password out loud. If you change the password on your router later, the old code stops working and you need to make a new one.
Choose the settings that matter
- Error correction. This decides how much of the code can be damaged and still be read. Medium is a good choice for most uses. Choose High if the code will be printed on something that can get scratched or stained, but know that it makes the code denser, so print it a little bigger. Low gives the smallest, simplest code.
- Image size. Choose 256 px for a small picture on a screen, and 1024 px or 2048 px if you will print it. A bigger image is sharper when it is made larger on paper.
- Colors. Keep a dark code on a light background, and keep the white border around the code. Scanners need that border to find the edges. Low contrast, such as light grey on white, can make a code fail.
PNG or SVG?
PNG is a normal picture and is the simple choice for a post, a message or a document. SVG is drawn from lines instead of dots, so it stays sharp at any size. Use SVG when you print the code large, for example on a poster, a sign or a banner. If your printer or designer asks for a vector file, send the SVG.
Make a code that scans easily
- Keep the text short. The more the code holds, the denser and harder it is to scan. A short link works much better than a long one. A code can hold up to about 2,900 characters, but you rarely need that.
- Print it big enough. As a rough rule, give it at least 2 cm (about 1 inch) on each side, and more if people will scan it from a distance.
- Test it. Scan the final printed version with your own phone, and ideally with one more phone, before you print a hundred copies.
- Put it on a flat, plain surface. A code on a curved bottle or over a busy picture is harder to read.
Common problems
- The code will not scan. It is usually too small, too blurry, or low in contrast. Make it larger, use dark on light, and shorten the text.
- I need to change the link later. This tool makes a code that holds the text itself. To change where it points, you make a new code. If the address might change, use a link on a page that you control and can update.
- The Wi-Fi code does not connect. Check the spelling and capital letters of the name and password, and the security type.
What to do next
If you place the code on a picture or a poster, you may want to make the picture smaller first with Resize Image or Compress Image. If a printer wants a different file type, Image Converter can change it.
Last updated: 21 October 2026