What Is a QR Code and How Does It Work?
A QR (Quick Response) code is a two-dimensional barcode developed in Japan in 1994. Unlike a classic striped barcode, it stores data both horizontally and vertically, so a tiny square can hold thousands of characters. Since modern smartphone cameras read QR codes without any extra app, they show up everywhere: restaurant menus, business cards, posters and product packaging.
This tool supports four content types: URL, free text, WiFi credentials (network name, password and encryption type) and a vCard digital business card (name, phone, email, company, website). You can download the code as PNG or SVG, pick foreground and background colours, and set the size between 200 and 800 pixels.
How to Create a QR Code
- Choose the content type: URL, text, WiFi or business card — whichever fits your need.
- Enter your details: the web address in URL mode, or the network name and password in WiFi mode.
- Adjust the look: size, format (PNG/SVG) and colours. For print work, vector SVG is recommended.
- Generate and download: the code is produced instantly; test it with your phone camera before using it.
Practical Use Cases
- Digital menus: a QR code on the table takes customers to an always-up-to-date menu with zero reprinting cost.
- Guest WiFi: scanning a WiFi-mode code connects the phone to the network without typing the password.
- Business cards: a scanned vCard saves contact details to the phone in one tap — a smart addition to the back of a printed card.
- Posters and flyers: a bridge from printed material to your website, campaign page or signup form.
- Product packaging: link to manuals, warranty registration or product videos.
Tips and Common Mistakes
- Contrast matters: dark modules on a light background are the safest choice; the inverted combination fails on many readers.
- Keep URLs short: the longer the content, the denser and harder to scan the code becomes.
- Size vs distance: a practical rule is one tenth of the reading distance — a code scanned from 1 metre should be at least 10 cm wide.
- Test before printing: try the code on different phones in both bright and dim light before a print run.
- Respect the quiet zone: the empty margin around the code is part of the scan; do not fill it with design elements.
About the WiFi and Business Card Modes
In WiFi mode you also choose the encryption type: nearly all modern networks use WPA/WPA2; WEP exists only for very old devices, and there is a "no password" option for open guest networks. Special characters like semicolons or colons in the network name or password are no problem — the tool escapes them to spec so the code decodes correctly on every phone. In vCard mode, the name is required while phone, email, company and website are optional. The generated card follows the vCard 3.0 standard and is recognised by both iPhone and Android contact apps.
QR Code Not Scanning? Check These
- Measure the contrast: if the modules and the background are close in tone, readers cannot separate them; black on white is the safest bet.
- Increase the size: in small codes with dense content, the modules blur together in print. Enlarge the code or shorten the content.
- Look at the surface: glossy, reflective or curved surfaces (bottles, cups) hinder scanning; prefer a matte finish.
- Check print quality: low-resolution printing blurs the edges; always send SVG or high-resolution PNG to print.
Static QR: No Expiry, No Tracking, Free
This tool generates static QR codes: the content is encoded directly into the image with no redirect server in between. That means the code never expires, no scan statistics are collected (add UTM parameters to your URL if you need measurement), and your input is neither written to a database nor logged — the image is generated on the fly and returned only to you.
If you need linear barcodes for product labels or inventory, try our Barcode Generator. To build a full campaign around QR codes — a customer journey flowing from print to digital — have a look at our digital marketing service.