Skip to content
Localtools

QR Code Generator

Make static QR codes for links, Wi-Fi, contacts and more. No sign-up, no expiry, no tracking.

What should the QR code open?
Colors, logo and size

The image stays on your device and is only drawn into the code.

Error correction (L 7% · M 15% · Q 25% · H 30% damage tolerated)

How to use

  1. Choose what the code should do — open a website, show text, join a Wi-Fi network, save a contact, start an email, send a text or call a number.
  2. Fill in the fields. The QR code updates as you type, and "Encoded text" shows exactly what is stored in it.
  3. Optionally, change the colors or the quiet zone, or add a small logo. Keep dark modules on a light background.
  4. Scan the preview with your phone camera to check it, then download a PNG for screens and documents or an SVG for print.

Static QR codes that work forever

Everything you type goes straight into the pattern of black and white squares. There is no short link in between, no account to keep alive and no scan counter. Because the code is static, it does not expire: a menu or a business card you print this year will still scan in ten years. The flip side is that you cannot edit a printed static code. If the address may change, point the code at a page you control and update that page instead.

Dynamic QR codes are the other common kind. They store a redirect address on someone else’s server. That lets the owner change the destination and see scan statistics, but it also means the code depends on that server and, often, on a paid plan. When the plan ends, the redirect can stop or show something else. For most personal and small-business uses — a link, a Wi-Fi password, a vCard — a static code is simpler and more reliable.

What each content type stores

  • URL stores the address. If you type example.com without https://, the tool adds it so phones open a browser instead of showing plain text.
  • Wi-Fi uses the standard WIFI: format that iPhone and Android cameras understand. Special characters such as ;, ,, :, " and \ in the network name or password are escaped automatically.
  • Contact creates a vCard 3.0 that phones offer to save to the address book.
  • Email, SMS and Phone open a new message or the dialer with the details filled in. Nothing is sent until the person who scans it taps send or call.

Open “Encoded text” below the preview to see the exact text inside the code. If you are writing a long SMS or note, the word counter helps keep it short — shorter content gives a simpler code that is easier to scan.

Size, error correction and logos

A QR code can hold up to about 2,900 bytes, but every extra character adds modules and makes each one smaller. So the shorter the content, the easier the code is to scan.

Error correction lets a code survive dirt, scratches or a logo. Level M (15%) is a good default. When you add a logo, the tool switches to H (30%) and clears a square in the middle about a quarter as wide as the code. The logo file stays in your browser and is embedded in the downloaded PNG or SVG. If you need to shrink the PNG afterward for a website, the image compressor can do it without changing the pixels much.

Printing tips

  • Keep the quiet zone, the blank border around the code. Four modules is the standard; cropping it is a common reason printed codes fail.
  • Print at least 2 × 2 cm, and larger for long content or long distances.
  • Use a dark color on a light background with strong contrast. Avoid putting the code on a busy photo.
  • Always test-scan the final print with more than one phone before you order a big batch.

Frequently asked questions

Is this QR code generator really free? Do the codes expire?

Yes, it's free and you don't need an account. The codes are static, which means the content is written into the pattern itself. Nothing points back to a server, so a code you make today keeps working for as long as the printed image exists.

What is the difference between a static and a dynamic QR code?

A static code contains your link or text directly. A dynamic code contains a short link to a service that redirects to your real address, so you can change the destination later and count scans. The catch is that the redirect only works while the service is running and, with many services, while your subscription is active. If it lapses, every printed dynamic code can stop working. This tool only makes static codes.

Is my data sent anywhere?

No. The code is built by a script in your browser. Your Wi-Fi password, contact details and logo are never uploaded, and the page does not log what you encode.

How do I make a Wi-Fi QR code for guests?

Choose Wi-Fi, type the network name exactly as it appears on your phone (it is case-sensitive), enter the password and pick the security type — WPA for almost every modern router. Guests point their camera at the code and tap the prompt to join. Remember that anyone who scans it can read the password.

How small can I print a QR code?

About 2 × 2 cm (0.8 × 0.8 in) is a practical minimum for a short link scanned from close up. Longer content means more, smaller modules, so print it larger. For posters read from a distance, a common rule of thumb is to make the code at least a tenth as wide as the scanning distance.

Why won't my QR code scan?

The usual causes are low contrast, light modules on a dark background, a quiet zone that was cropped away, a logo that is too large, or a print that is too small or blurry. Reset the colors to black on white, keep the 4-module border and try again.

Should I download PNG or SVG?

PNG works everywhere — documents, slides, websites and messages. Choose a larger size for print. SVG is a vector file that stays sharp at any size, which suits print shops and design tools.

Related tools