Softonic

QR Code Generator

Step 1 / 4 QR code

Type a URL, paste text, or fill a WiFi or vCard form and the generator produces a QR code. Every code is generated in your browser — useful for conference badges, menu cards, event invites and anything else where you want a scannable handoff from screen or print. Download as PNG for sharp printing or SVG for logos and posters.

How QR codes are built

  1. 1

    Pick the content type

    URL, text, WiFi (SSID + password + security), vCard (contact), SMS, email or calendar event.

  2. 2

    Enter the payload

    Content is serialised into the QR-specific format (WIFI:T:WPA;... / BEGIN:VCARD... / mailto:...).

  3. 3

    Choose error correction

    L (7%), M (15%), Q (25%), H (30%). Higher correction = larger code but survives damage and logos overlaid in the centre.

  4. 4

    Download

    PNG for raster use, SVG for scalable. Both are safe to print at any size.

Supported payload types

Type Encoded as
URL Plain URL string, e.g. https://example.com
Text Raw UTF-8
WiFi WIFI:T:WPA;S:MyNetwork;P:mypassword;;
vCard BEGIN:VCARD\nVERSION:3.0\nFN:Jane Doe\n...\nEND:VCARD
SMS SMSTO:+15551234567:Hello there
Email mailto:alice@example.com?subject=Hi&body=Hello
Calendar BEGIN:VEVENT\n...\nEND:VEVENT
Geo geo:40.7128,-74.0060

Error correction levels

Level Recovery Code density Use
L 7% Smallest Clean printed codes, short URLs
M 15% Medium General default
Q 25% Larger Outdoor use, partial obscuring
H 30% Largest Centre-overlaid logo, tough conditions

Higher correction means more modules — the code is bigger for the same content. If you want to overlay a logo in the middle, use H and cover no more than 25% of the code area.

Design tips that actually work

  • Quiet zone. Keep a 4-module margin of solid colour around the code. Running into adjacent graphics kills scan rates.
  • Contrast. Dark foreground on light background. Avoid inverted (light on dark) — many readers struggle. Black on white is always safe.
  • Minimum size. 2 × 2 cm on paper for a short URL at reading distance. Bigger for scan-from-across-the-room use.
  • Test with the worst scanner. Low-end phone cameras and grainy webcam scans will fail before flagship ones. Test with the bottom third of devices your audience uses.

Common mistakes

  • Short URL inside a short URL. Using a link shortener in a QR code buys you nothing (the whole URL compresses fine), but does add a redirect-time dependency. Skip it unless you need analytics.
  • Encoding too much. A 200-character URL works but makes a denser code that scans poorly on noisy cameras. Shorten the destination URL if possible.
  • Printing the preview. Previews are often upscaled with smoothing. Use the SVG or a high-DPI PNG for the final print.

Frequently Asked Questions

Static codes never expire — they encode the payload directly, so as long as the payload is valid, the code works. Dynamic codes behind a URL shortener expire when the shortener goes away.

Yes. Use error correction H and keep the logo within ~25% of the code area. Test with real scanners before printing at scale.

A QR code can hold up to ~4,296 alphanumeric characters or ~2,953 bytes. In practice you want to stay well under that for reliable scans.

Double-check the SSID capitalisation and the WPA/WEP type flag. Android handles WiFi QR codes natively; iOS needs a recent version (iOS 11+) with the Camera app set to detect codes.

No. Encoding happens in the browser. Your URL, WiFi password or contact details never leave the tab.

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