How to Create a QR Code

Step 1 — Choose the right QR code type for your purpose

Before generating anything, know what you want the QR code to do. The type you choose determines what information goes into it and how it behaves when scanned.

URL / Link: encodes a web address. When scanned, the phone opens that URL in the browser. Use this for websites, landing pages, menus, portfolios, or any online content.

Wi-Fi: encodes a network name (SSID), password, and security type. When scanned, the phone offers to join the network without typing. Use this for guest networks in offices, cafes, homes, and events.

Contact / vCard: encodes a digital business card with name, phone, email, company, title, and website. When scanned, the phone offers to save the contact to the address book directly.

Email: encodes a pre-composed email with recipient address, subject line, and optional body text. When scanned, the mail app opens ready to send.

Text: encodes plain text that displays on screen after scanning. Useful for instructions, product information, or messages that do not need internet access.

Choosing the wrong type is the most common mistake. A restaurant owner who creates a plain text QR code instead of a URL code will give customers text they cannot act on, rather than a page they can browse.

Step 2 — Enter your information accurately

Once you have selected the type, enter your information carefully. Errors at this stage are permanent in a static QR code — there is no way to correct a typo in a URL once the code is generated and printed.

For URLs: paste the complete address including the https:// prefix. Shortened URLs work but add a layer of dependency on the shortener service. If your page ever moves, you will need a new QR code regardless, so using the full URL is cleaner.

For Wi-Fi: your network name is case-sensitive. 'HomeNetwork' and 'homenetwork' are different SSIDs. Check the exact name in your router settings or on the label on the back of the router. The same applies to the password.

For vCard contact data: consistency matters more than completeness. A phone number entered in different formats across multiple vCards creates messy address book entries. Decide on one format — +49 89 1234567 or 089 1234567 — and use it consistently.

For URLs specifically, test the URL first in a browser before creating the QR code. A URL that returns a 404 error or redirects to a generic page is useless in a QR code.

Step 3 — Customise size, colour, and logo if needed

Most QR code generators offer customisation options. Not all of them matter equally.

Size: the most important parameter for printed use. For table cards, business cards, and leaflets, a minimum of 2.5 cm × 2.5 cm (roughly 1 inch square) is required for reliable scanning at typical reading distances. For outdoor signs viewed from 1–2 metres away, aim for at least 10 cm × 10 cm. Bigger is always safer.

Colour: the QR code must have sufficient contrast between the dark modules and the light background. A black code on white is the most reliable combination. Dark colours on a light background work. Light colours on a dark background (inverted codes) are problematic and fail on some scanners — if you are placing a QR code on a dark poster, keep the code dark and place it on a white or light-coloured panel with a clear border.

Logo: adding a logo to the centre of a QR code is supported by the error correction system. The logo should cover no more than about 15–20% of the code area to keep it reliable. PNG with a transparent background is the cleanest format. JPEG works but adds a visible white square around the logo.

Error correction level: if you are adding a logo, select error correction level H (30%) to maximise redundancy.

Step 4 — Download in the right format

QR code generators typically offer PNG and SVG downloads. The choice matters more than most people realise.

PNG is a pixel-based image. It is perfect for digital use — inserting into a Word document, a Canva design, a PowerPoint slide, a website, or sending by email. The limitation is that it has a fixed resolution. If you download a small PNG and then scale it up to print on a banner, it will appear blurry.

SVG is a vector format. It contains mathematical descriptions of shapes rather than pixels, which means it scales to any size with perfect sharpness. An SVG file created at 32 pixels will look identically sharp printed at 3 metres wide. Use SVG any time you are handing the file to a designer, preparing for large-format printing, or integrating into a print workflow.

A practical rule: if your QR code will be printed at any size larger than roughly A5 (148 × 210 mm), download SVG. For everything smaller, or for digital-only use, PNG is fine.

Step 5 — Test before printing

This step is skipped constantly and causes real problems. Always test a QR code with multiple devices before printing it on physical materials.

Test with at least two different phones — ideally one iPhone and one Android. Camera apps handle QR codes slightly differently, and a code that scans instantly on one device might be slower or fail on another if the code is very small or has poor contrast.

Test at the actual printed size, not on your screen. Print a test sheet at the intended size and scan it from the intended distance. What looks perfectly scannable on a monitor can fail at 5 cm × 5 cm on a laminated card.

If the code will be placed outdoors or in varying light conditions, test scanning under those conditions specifically. Sunlight glare on glossy paper, or dim lighting in a restaurant, can significantly affect scan reliability.

Once all tests pass, the QR code is ready to deploy.