How to Create a WiFi QR Code (and Fix One That Won't Connect)
By ScanHatch · Published · 4 min read
A WiFi QR code saves you from spelling out a password for every guest. Making one is quick. This guide also covers the parts that aren't obvious: sharing the network safely, and what to check when a phone scans the code but won't join.
What you need
- The network name (SSID), exactly as it appears in your phone's WiFi list. It's case-sensitive: “Home_WiFi” and “home_wifi” are different networks.
- The password, exactly as set on the router.
- The security type, which is WPA/WPA2/WPA3 on almost every modern router.
- Whether the network is hidden (not broadcast). Most aren't.
Your router's admin page or the sticker on the router shows the name and password. If you've changed them, use the current values.
Creating the code
- Open the WiFi QR code generator.
- Enter the network name and password, and choose the security type.
- Tick “Hidden network” only if your router doesn't broadcast the name.
- Download the code. Use PDF or SVG if you're going to print it.
- Test it with a phone that isn't already connected, or “forget” the network on your phone first.
What's inside the code (fictional example)
WIFI:T:WPA;S:Example Guest;P:correct-horse-42;;: T is the security type, S the network name and P the password. A hidden network adds H:true;.
Special characters are escaped automatically. In this format a semicolon, colon, comma, quote mark or backslash inside a name or password must be preceded by a backslash, or phones cut the value short. Getting that wrong by hand is a common reason homemade codes fail.
Share a guest network, not your main one
The password inside a WiFi QR code is plain text. Anyone who scans it can read it, and anyone who photographs the code can scan it later. For anything displayed in public, such as a café counter, a holiday let or a meeting room:
- Use your router's guest network if it has one. Guests get internet access, but not your computers, printers or smart-home devices.
- Choose a guest password you don't use anywhere else.
- Change the guest password occasionally, and print a new code when you do. The old code simply stops working.
When the code scans but won't connect
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Unable to join” or wrong password | Password changed since the code was made, or mistyped | Check the password on the router and make a new code |
| Network not found | Name doesn't match exactly (capitals, spaces), or the phone is out of range | Copy the name from your phone's WiFi list |
| Hidden network never connects | Hidden flag not set | Tick “Hidden network” and regenerate |
| Some newer phones fail, older ones work | Router is in WPA3-only mode | Try the router's WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode |
| Connects but no internet | The network has a sign-in page (captive portal), or the router blocks new devices | Open a browser to sign in; check MAC filtering on the router |
| Only shows text, no “Join” button | Older phone or camera app without WiFi-code support | Use Google Lens, the Android WiFi settings scanner, or type the details |
| Work network with a username | WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise (802.1X) networks | Standard WiFi QR codes can't carry enterprise logins |
The QR Validator decodes a WiFi code and checks it: a missing network name, a password too short for WPA, or a password given for an open network are all flagged.
Printing a WiFi sign
- Print the code at least 3 cm wide for scanning from arm's length.
- Add a line of text, such as “Scan to join the guest WiFi”, and the network name, so people can connect manually if their phone doesn't support it.
- Laminated signs reflect light. Test the finished sign, not just the file.
Frequently asked questions
Can people see my WiFi password from the QR code?
Yes. The password is stored as readable text, so anyone who scans the code can see it. Use a guest network for public codes.
Does a WiFi QR code stop working?
Only if you change the network name, password or security type. Then you need a new code.
Can one QR code hold two networks?
No. Each code holds one network. Print one code per network, for example 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz if they have different names.