QR code generator
Turn any text into a QR code in seconds. Pick the size and colours, then download a sharp PNG or an SVG for print. Free, no sign-up, and nothing leaves your browser.
Your QR code appears here as you type.
How to use it
- Type or paste your text into the box above. The QR code appears as you type.
- Open Appearance and size if you want a different size, colour or error-correction level.
- Scan the preview with your phone camera to check that it works.
- Press Download PNG for screens and documents, or Download SVG for printing at any size.
Read the guideHow to make a QR code for any text for free: what a QR code stores, how to choose size, colours and error correction, PNG or SVG, and how to make sure it scans.
How to make a QR code for freeWhat you can put in a QR code
A QR code stores text. A camera app reads it and decides what to do: a web address opens in the browser, a phone number offers to call, an email address offers to write a message, and anything else is shown as text. So this generator works for a message, a contact detail, a product code, a short note, an address or a coupon code.
For a web address, use URL to QR code, which tidies the link for you. For a Wi-Fi network that guests can join with one scan, use the Wi-Fi QR code generator.
Make a code that scans every time
Keep the text short. More text means a denser code with smaller squares, which is harder to scan from far away or on a poor print. Use a dark code on a light background. Light-on-dark codes fail on many scanners. Leave the quiet zone. The blank border around the code is part of the code, and four squares wide is the standard.
The error correction level lets a code survive damage or a logo placed on top, but higher levels make the code denser. Medium (15 percent) suits most uses; choose High only if the code will be scuffed or partly covered. Always test the finished code with a phone before you print a thousand copies.
PNG or SVG, and what size?
A PNG is a normal picture: good for slides, websites and documents. Choose a size that is at least as big as the space it will fill, because enlarging a small PNG makes the edges blurry. An SVG is drawn with shapes, so it stays sharp at any size: use it for posters, packaging and signs, and send it to your printer.
For print, make the code at least about 2 cm (0.8 inch) wide, and bigger if people will scan it from a distance. A rough rule is that the scanning distance should be no more than ten times the width of the code.
Static codes: no expiry, no tracking
The code you make here contains your text itself, so it never expires, needs no account and works as long as the thing it points to exists. Nothing is stored on our servers, and we cannot see how many people scan it. If you need scan statistics, you would need a service that redirects through its own address, which adds a dependency that can expire or be switched off.
Frequently asked questions
Is this QR code generator really free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit. The code is generated in your browser, so it costs nothing to run and nothing is stored.
Does the QR code expire?
No. The code contains your text itself, so it works forever. Only a code that points to a third-party redirect address can stop working.
How much text fits in a QR code?
A lot less than a page: roughly 2,900 characters at the lowest error correction, and fewer at higher levels or with non-Latin characters. Shorter text gives a simpler code that scans more easily.
Can I use it for Japanese, Chinese or emoji?
Yes. The text is encoded as UTF-8, so any language and emoji work, although they use more space than plain English letters.
Should I download PNG or SVG?
Use PNG for screens and documents and SVG for print, because an SVG stays sharp at any size.
Is my text uploaded?
No. The QR code is built in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to a server.