How to make a QR code
You can make a QR code in a couple of minutes, for free and without an account. Here are the five steps, and the mistakes that most often stop a code from scanning.
1. Decide what the code should do
A QR code holds a small piece of text that a phone knows how to act on. Choosing the right type means the phone does the useful thing straight away:
- Open a website: use a Link code.
- Join a network without typing the password: use a WiFi code.
- Save your details to someone’s phone: use a Contact card code.
- Start a chat or call: use a WhatsApp, Phone or SMS code.
- Share a PDF, video or audio file: store the file online and use a link to it.
2. Fill in the details
Open the generator, choose your type and type in the details. Keep it short. The less a code holds, the simpler its pattern and the easier it is to scan. For phone numbers, include the country code so they work from anywhere.
3. Style it, but keep the contrast
You can change the colours and dot shapes and add a logo. Dark code on a light background is the one rule not to break, because many phone cameras can’t read a light code on a dark background. If you add a logo, keep it small and use high error correction, which lets the code survive having part of it covered.
4. Download the right file
Use PNG for websites, documents, slides and messages. Use SVG for anything printed, because it stays sharp at any size. If you are making a sign, table card or business card, print templates can lay it out for you.
5. Test it before you print
Scan the code with at least two different phones, in normal lighting, at the distance people will really use. Open whatever it leads to and check that it is correct. If it links to a file in cloud storage, test on a phone that isn’t signed in to your account, so you know the file is really public.
Mistakes to avoid
- Printing it too small. See the size guide below.
- Leaving no white space around the code, so the phone can’t find its edges.
- Linking to a page that doesn’t work well on a phone.
- Printing thousands of copies before testing one.
- Using a “free” service that stops the code working when a trial ends. Check whether your code depends on that company.
Next steps
Last updated: 4 November 2026