How to create a QR code for free

Step 1: choose what the code should do

A link opens a website. Wi-Fi joins a network when scanned with the phone camera, no password typing. Phone, SMS and e-mail open the right app with the number or address filled in. Plain text shows the text on screen. For a menu or a document, host the file somewhere and use its link.

Step 2: generate and download

1. Open the QR code generator and pick the type.
2. Type the content. The code updates live as you type.
3. Set error correction to M for screens, or H if you plan to print it small or place a logo in the middle.
4. Download PNG for documents and screens, or SVG for printing at any size without blur.

Step 3: size and placement for printing

Minimum 2 by 2 cm for codes scanned from arm's length, such as on a table card. For a poster scanned from two metres, 10 cm or more. Keep a white margin around the code at least as wide as one of the small squares. Dark code on a light background only; inverted or low-contrast codes fail on many cameras.

Test with two different phones before printing a batch.

Static or dynamic?

A static code never expires, cannot be tracked and cannot be edited after printing. A dynamic code is a short link you can redirect later and that counts scans, but it depends on the provider staying in business and on your subscription. For a Wi-Fi card, a business card, a product label or a sign that points to a stable page, static is the right choice. For a campaign poster whose destination will change, consider a dynamic service and read its pricing before printing.

Privacy

This generator builds the code in your browser. The link, password or phone number you enter is not sent anywhere and is not stored, which is why it can be free without a catch.