How to make a QR code
- Choose the content type. A website link, WiFi login, contact card, calendar event and so on. Each type is encoded in the format phones recognise, so scanning does the right thing.
- Fill in the details. Required fields are marked with an asterisk. Problems like an invalid email address are pointed out as you type.
- Style it if you want. Change colours, shapes and eyes, or add a logo. The readability checks next to the preview flag anything likely to cause scanning problems.
- Download and test. Scan the code with at least one phone before you print or publish it.
Guides for specific QR code types
Each of these pages opens the generator with the right type selected, and explains what that kind of code contains and how to use it well:
- WiFi QR Code Generator
- URL QR Code Generator
- Email QR Code Generator
- Phone Number QR Code Generator
- SMS QR Code Generator
- vCard QR Code Generator
- WhatsApp QR Code Generator
- Google Maps QR Code Generator
Which file format should I download?
- SVG is a vector file. It stays sharp at any size and is the best choice for print designers and signage.
- PNG is best for websites, documents and slides. It supports a transparent background.
- JPG works almost everywhere but can't be transparent.
- PDF places the code on an A4 or US Letter page at the print width you set in the Size tab.
Keeping a styled QR code readable
Scanners look for strong contrast between the code and the background, the three square “eyes” in the corners, and an empty border around the code called the quiet zone. Most scanning problems come from breaking one of those:
- Use a dark code on a light background. Inverted codes (light on dark) fail on many phones.
- Keep a quiet zone of about four modules. Don't let other artwork touch the code.
- With a logo, use High error correction and keep the logo small. The code can only recover about 30% damage at best.
- Shorter content makes a less dense code that scans faster and from further away.
Static QR codes
Codes made here are static: the content is stored inside the code itself. They never expire and work without ScanHatch, but they can't be edited after printing and there are no scan statistics. Editable, trackable (dynamic) QR codes need a server to redirect scans and aren't offered yet.