Generators
QR Code Generator
Generate QR codes for URLs or text instantly, free online QR code creator with error correction levels and size options. No sign-up. Runs entirely in your browser.
How QR Codes Work
A QR code (Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional barcode that stores data as a pattern of black and white squares. When you scan it with your phone camera or a QR code reader, the pattern is decoded to reveal the original URL or text.
QR codes can encode up to 4,296 characters in UTF-8. For URLs, most links fit well within this limit. For longer text, you may need to shorten URLs or split into multiple QR codes.
Error Correction
Reed-Solomon error correction (L/M/Q/H) allows the QR code to be readable even if up to 30% of its data is damaged. L (7%) is safest and produces the smallest QR code; H (30%) is most robust but produces larger images.
Size Selection
Larger QR codes are easier to scan from a distance because the data modules are physically larger. For use cases like sharing a website link, 256×256 or 384×384 is sufficient. For printed materials or small items, you might need 512×512.
Encoding
QR codes use UTF-8 encoding, which supports most languages and characters including emojis. However, not all QR scanners support extended Unicode equally, some may have issues with certain characters or emojis.
Common Use Cases
- Website links, Create QR codes for your website, social media profiles, or landing pages to share easily with mobile users.
- Contact information, Encode your email, phone number, or vCard details so people can scan to save your contact info directly to their phone.
- Wi-Fi login, Share Wi-Fi network credentials (SSID and password) via QR code for guests or customers, convenient for cafes, hotels, or events.
- Product URLs, QR codes on product packaging link directly to product pages, reviews, or purchase options, standard in e-commerce.
- Text messages, Encode short messages, promo codes, or discount offers that you want to share on printed materials or social media.
- Event tickets, Create QR codes for event tickets with embedded data or URLs, attendees can scan to check in or get directions.
Error Correction Levels Explained
Every QR code uses Reed-Solomon error correction, which stores the encoded data with redundancy so the code still scans even if part of it is dirty, scratched, or covered by a logo. The four standard levels trade robustness for QR code size and density.
L (Low): 7% recovery
Recovers from up to 7% data loss. Produces the smallest, least dense QR code. Best for clean digital displays where the image will not be damaged or obscured.
M (Medium): 15% recovery
Recovers from up to 15% data loss. The default and most widely recommended level for general use, balancing reliability and code density.
Q (Quartile): 25% recovery
Recovers from up to 25% data loss. Suited to printed materials that may pick up scuffs, glare, or partial creasing, such as flyers or packaging.
H (High): 30% recovery
Recovers from up to 30% data loss, the maximum defined by the QR standard. Use this when adding a logo in the center of the code, since the covered area needs the extra redundancy to remain scannable.
Data Capacity and Encoding
QR codes automatically choose the smallest "version" (grid size, from 21×21 up to 177×177 modules) that fits your content at the selected error correction level. Longer input or a higher error correction level both push the code to a larger version with more modules, which is why a link with tracking parameters produces a visibly denser pattern than a short one.
This tool encodes text as UTF-8 bytes, which supports the full range of Unicode characters, including accented letters and emoji, up to roughly 2,900 bytes at the lowest error correction level, well beyond what any realistic URL or short message needs. Numeric-only content (like a phone number) and uppercase alphanumeric content can pack more densely than mixed-case text under the QR specification, though this tool always uses the general-purpose byte mode for consistency across input types.
Best Practices for Reliable Scanning
- Keep the quiet zone: leave white space around the code (the download already includes a margin); cropping it too tightly causes scanners to misread the edges.
- Use high contrast: black modules on a white background scan far more reliably than light-on-dark or colored variants.
- Shorten long URLs first: a shorter link produces a lower-density code that is easier to scan from a distance or at small print sizes.
- Test before printing at scale: scan the code on two or three different phones before committing to a large print run or signage placement.
- Raise error correction for busy backgrounds or logos: use Q or H if the code will be printed on a patterned surface or partially covered by a brand mark.