QR Code Generator

Free Online QR Code Generator

Create QR codes instantly in your browser. Pick a type — URL or text, Wi-Fi login, contact card (vCard), email, phone call, SMS or a SEPA bank payment — fill in the fields and the code updates as you type. Add your logo, rounded dots or a “Scan me” frame if you like; a built-in readback check tells you whether the design still scans. Download it as PNG or as an SVG that stays sharp at any print size. All processing happens locally in your browser — your data never leaves your device, and generated QR codes are completely free for any use.

These are static QR codes: the content is stored in the code itself, not behind a redirect. They never expire, need no account, and keep working even if this website disappears.

What Is a QR Code?

A QR (Quick Response) code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode that stores data in a grid of black and white modules (squares). Invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara at Denso Wave in Japan, QR codes were originally designed for tracking automotive parts. Today they are used worldwide for contactless payments, digital menus, product packaging, event tickets, Wi-Fi sharing, and much more.

Unlike traditional barcodes that store data in one dimension (lines), QR codes store data in both horizontal and vertical directions. This allows them to hold significantly more information — up to 4,296 alphanumeric characters or 7,089 numeric digits, depending on the version and error correction level.

Error Correction Levels

QR codes include Reed-Solomon error correction, allowing them to be scanned even when partially damaged, dirty, or obscured. Choose the level based on your use case:

• Low (L) — 7% recovery — Smallest QR code size. Best for clean, digital-only environments (screens, clean print).
• Medium (M) — 15% recovery — The default for most use cases. Good balance of size and resilience.
• Quartile (Q) — 25% recovery — Recommended for printed materials that may get folded, scratched, or smudged.
• High (H) — 30% recovery — Maximum error correction. Required when adding a logo overlay to the center of the QR code, as the logo effectively “damages” that area.

Real-World Use Cases

• Website URLs — Print QR codes on business cards, flyers, and posters to direct people to your website. Include UTM parameters for tracking: https://example.com?utm_source=flyer
• Wi-Fi Sharing — The Wi-Fi tab builds the standard WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:Password;; string for you, including the backslash escaping that special characters like ; or : in a password need. Guests point their camera at it and tap “Join”.
• vCards (Contact Info) — The Contact tab creates a vCard 3.0, so people can save your name, phone, email, company and address to their phone with one scan. Leave empty fields out — a shorter code is easier to scan from a business card.
• Restaurant Menus — Link to digital menus from table cards. Easy to update without reprinting.
• Event Tickets — Generate unique QR codes for entry validation at events and conferences.
• Invoices and payment requests — The Payment (SEPA) tab puts IBAN, amount and reference into a code that banking apps read, so nobody has to type 22 characters of IBAN.

SEPA Payment QR Codes (EPC QR / GiroCode)

The EPC QR code is the European Payments Council’s standard for SEPA credit transfers in euro; in Germany and Austria it is better known as GiroCode. Print it on an invoice, a donation flyer or a club membership letter: the payer opens their banking app, scans the code, and the recipient name, IBAN, amount and reference are filled in. They still check and confirm the transfer themselves — a payment QR code cannot take money from anyone.

• Checked before it is encoded — the tool verifies the IBAN check digits and the length for the country, so a typo does not end up on a thousand printed invoices.
• Amount is optional — leave it empty for donations; the payer types in what they want to give. Both 12,50 and 12.50 are understood.
• Reference — free text up to 140 characters, or an ISO 11649 creditor reference (RF…), which the tool recognises and stores in the structured field.
• BIC is optional — version 002 of the standard does not need it inside the SEPA area.

Banking apps in Germany and Austria read these codes almost everywhere. In other SEPA countries support depends on the bank — look for “scan”, “photo transfer” or “QR payment” in your app. Your IBAN never leaves your browser while you create the code.

Tips for QR Code Design

• Keep URLs short — shorter data creates smaller, more easily scannable QR codes. Avoid third-party URL shorteners on anything printed: if the service shuts down, every code that uses it stops working. A short path on your own domain is safer.
• Maintain high contrast between foreground and background. Dark-on-light works best; avoid light-on-dark as some scanners struggle with inverted codes.
• A logo or a styled code is fine — watch the readback check under the preview, and prefer a smaller logo when it says “tight”.
• Always test your QR code on multiple devices before printing or publishing.
• Include a quiet zone (white space) of at least 4 modules around the QR code for reliable scanning.
• For print materials, use at least 2cm × 2cm (0.8″ × 0.8″) at normal viewing distance. Larger for billboards and signage.

Features

• 100% browser-based — No server required. Your data stays private.
• Seven content types — URL/text, Wi-Fi, contact (vCard), email, phone, SMS and SEPA payment (EPC), with the correct format and escaping for each.
• Live preview — The code updates as you type; the “Encoded content” box shows exactly what is stored in it.
• Custom colors — Choose any foreground and background color; the tool warns about low contrast or inverted colors that phones struggle with.
• Logo in the centre — Add your own logo in four sizes; error correction switches to High automatically and the logo stays on your device.
• Dot and corner styles — Squares, rounded or dots, with square, rounded or circular corner markers.
• Frame with label — A frame with a call to action such as “SCAN ME” or “MENU”, part of the PNG and SVG.
• Readback check — Every design is read back and checked against the code’s error correction, so you see a risky logo or style before you print it.
• 4 error correction levels — From Low (7%) to High (30%) recovery.
• Size and margin — Module size from 4 to 24 px and an adjustable quiet zone.
• PNG and SVG download — PNG for screens and documents, SVG (vector) for print, signs and design tools.
• Zero dependencies — Built with pure vanilla JavaScript, no external libraries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these QR codes free to use?

Yes, completely free with no restrictions. QR codes generated here can be used commercially, on print materials, websites, merchandise, or anywhere else. The QR code standard is open and patent-free.

Is my data stored?

No. The QR code is generated entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is sent to any server. This makes it safe to encode sensitive information like Wi-Fi passwords.

Do these QR codes expire?

No. They are static codes — the URL, text or contact data is encoded directly in the pattern. Nothing points back to this site, so there is no subscription, scan limit or expiry date. The trade-off: you cannot change the content after printing. If you need that, encode a URL you control and change where it redirects. More in our guide Why your QR code stopped working.

How do I make a QR code for my Wi-Fi?

Open the Wi-Fi tab, enter the network name exactly as it appears (it is case-sensitive), the password and the security type — almost all home networks use WPA/WPA2/WPA3. Tick “Hidden network” only if your router does not broadcast the name. Scanning it with the camera app on iPhone or Android offers to join the network.

Why did my QR code stop working?

If a code that used to work now shows an error page, an ad or a “subscription expired” notice, it was almost certainly a dynamic code: it only stores a short link to the provider, who switches it off when a trial or plan ends. Other causes are a deleted target page, a link shortener that shut down, or a code printed too small or with too little contrast. Our guide Why your QR code stopped working explains how to tell which one it is and what can still be saved.

How do I create a QR code for a bank transfer?

Open the Payment (SEPA) tab, enter the recipient name and IBAN, and optionally the amount and a payment reference. The code follows the EPC standard (GiroCode), which banking apps in Germany, Austria and many other SEPA countries can scan. It only works for transfers in euro between SEPA accounts — not for PayPal, cards or other currencies.

Should I download PNG or SVG?

Use PNG for websites, slides and documents. Use SVG for anything printed or resized — flyers, packaging, signs — because it is a vector image and stays perfectly sharp at any size. For PNG print use, choose 16 or 24 px modules.

What is the maximum amount of data a QR code can store?

The QR standard allows up to 2,953 bytes (about 4,296 alphanumeric characters or 7,089 digits) in the largest version. This tool goes up to version 20, which holds 858 bytes at Low error correction and 382 bytes at High — far more than a URL, Wi-Fi login or contact card needs. More data means a denser code that is harder to scan, so keep content short where you can.

Why can’t some phones scan my QR code?

Common causes: insufficient contrast between foreground and background, QR code too small for the scanning distance, not enough quiet zone (white border), or very old phones without built-in QR scanning. Test with multiple devices before mass-producing materials.

Can I add a logo to my QR code?

Yes. Open “Design”, choose your logo file (PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF or SVG) and pick a size. The tool switches error correction to High (30%), clears the modules behind the logo and places it in the centre. The logo is read in your browser and never uploaded. Keep it small: “Medium” covers about 12% of the code, “Extra large” 20%. The readback check below the preview tells you straight away whether the code can still be repaired by its error correction, and if a logo is too big for a short code, the tool makes the code one size larger on its own.

How does the readback check work?

After drawing your code — with logo, dot style, colors and frame — the tool reads the image back at the centre of every module and compares it with what it meant to write. QR codes are split into Reed-Solomon blocks, and each block can repair a fixed number of wrong codewords. The check counts the damaged codewords in every block and warns when one block is close to or over its limit. It works in every browser. It cannot simulate blur, glare or a tilted camera, so scan the code once with a real phone before you print it.

Do rounded dots or circular corners still scan?

Yes. Phone scanners look at the centre of each module and at the 1:1:3:1:1 proportions of the three corner squares, and both stay intact with rounded or dot-style modules and circular corners. The readback check confirms this for every design you make. For very small prints (under 2 cm), plain squares remain the safest choice.