QR Code Maker

What you can put behind a scan

The maker above creates static QR codes: the information is written straight into the pattern of squares, so the code works on its own without any server in the middle. Choose the type that matches what you want a scanner's phone to do.

Website URL opens a page. Plain text shows a short message. Wi-Fi joins a network without anyone reading a password off a card. Email, phone and SMS start a pre-addressed message or call. WhatsApp opens a chat with your number. A vCard contact saves your name, number and email to the scanner's address book in one tap. Map location drops a pin so visitors can navigate to a door, a trailhead or a pickup point.

Because everything is generated on your device, the contents of a static code — including Wi-Fi passwords and contact details — are never uploaded to Scansational.

Make it look like it belongs

A QR code is usually the first thing someone touches before they reach your digital experience, so it is worth making it match the object it sits on. You can set foreground and background colors or a gradient, switch the module style from squares to dots or rounded shapes, restyle the three corner "eyes", add a frame with a call to action, and upload a logo for the center.

Heavy styling can make a code harder to read. Every design is run through an automatic decoder check as you work, so you see a warning before you download something that phones may struggle with.

Export as PNG up to 4096 pixels for screens and everyday print, or as SVG when a designer or printer needs a vector file that stays sharp at any size.

Static or dynamic: decide before you print

A static code can't be edited once it is printed. If the link changes, the sticker, label or sign has to be replaced. That is fine for a Wi-Fi network or a contact card that rarely changes, and it is why static codes are free and unlimited.

When the thing you are printing will outlive its first destination — packaging, a menu, a sign on a wall — use a dynamic QR code instead. It points to a short Scansational link you can redirect from the dashboard at any time, and it records how often it is scanned. Every account gets one dynamic code free.

Looking for ideas? See how people use QR codes on products, places and events, or browse the business solutions.

Three checks before it goes to print

Keep a clear margin of empty space around the code, and keep strong contrast between the pattern and the background — dark on light is the safest choice. Don't print the code smaller than about 2 cm (0.8 in) across, and go larger if people will scan from a distance. Finally, print one test copy and scan it with a couple of different phones before committing to a full run.