QR Code Generator

A QR code (Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional matrix barcode invented in 1994 by Denso Wave in Japan for tracking automotive parts. Unlike traditional one-dimensional barcodes — which store data only horizontally — a QR code stores data both horizontally and vertically, enabling dramatically higher information density. Depending on the error-correction level and content type, a single QR code can encode up to 7,089 numeric characters, 4,296 alphanumeric characters, or approximately 2,900 bytes of binary data. The QR standard is defined in ISO/IEC 18004.

QR codes are ubiquitous today: business cards, product packaging, transit tickets, restaurant menus, museum exhibits, event badges, and digital-payment systems. A smartphone camera reads them in under a second. This speed and simplicity makes them the go-to bridge between physical and digital contexts — sharing a URL, a Wi-Fi password, a contact card (vCard), a pre-filled SMS or email, or even a plain text message. Seven payload types are supported by this generator: URL, plain text, email, phone, SMS, Wi-Fi (WIFI: format), and vCard 3.0.

Static QR codes — like those produced by this generator — embed information directly inside the image pattern. They require no server, carry no ongoing subscription cost, and continue working indefinitely as long as the encoded destination (for example, a web page) remains accessible. Because all data lives inside the code itself, no scan tracking is performed and no analytics are collected — an important distinction from dynamic QR code services, which route every scan through a redirect server to collect location, device and timestamp data.

Error correction is a defining feature of the QR standard, based on Reed-Solomon codes. There are four levels: L (7% of codewords can be restored), M (15%), Q (25%), and H (30%). This redundancy allows a scanner to fully reconstruct the content even if the code is dirty, scratched, or partially obscured by a logo. Choosing level Q or H when embedding a logo is essential: the logo physically covers modules in the centre of the code, and the error-correction data is what allows the scanner to recover the hidden bits. As a rule of thumb, the logo should cover no more than 30% of the code area even at level H.

This generator runs entirely in your browser — powered by the qrcode.react library, which generates QR patterns using the ISO/IEC 18004 specification without any network calls. Neither your URLs, Wi-Fi passwords nor any other input data leave your device at any point. This is particularly relevant for GDPR compliance: when generating QR codes containing personal contact details (vCard) or internal system URLs, you can be certain that data is not logged by a third-party service. The resulting PNG or SVG image is rendered locally and downloaded directly from your browser's memory.

1. Select a payload type — Choose the appropriate QR code type at the top: URL for websites or deep links, Text for arbitrary messages, Email for pre-filled messages with subject and body, Phone for direct dial, SMS for pre-filled text messages, Wi-Fi for automatic network connection (WIFI: format, supported natively by iOS 11+ and Android 10+), or vCard for digital business cards (vCard 3.0 format). Each type generates the correct structured payload automatically.
2. Enter your content — Fill in the displayed fields. A URL only requires a single address; vCard and Email types offer multiple optional fields. The generator automatically formats all input into the correct QR payload — for example, a vCard QR code encodes a standardised BEGIN:VCARD…END:VCARD block, and a Wi-Fi code uses the WIFI:T:WPA;S:…;P:…;H:false;; format recognised by all modern smartphones.
3. Customise options — Adjust the size (256–1024 px), foreground and background colours, error-correction level (L/M/Q/H), and quiet-zone width (the white border around the code). If you want to embed a logo in the centre, choose level Q (25% recovery) or H (30% recovery) so the scanner can reconstruct the modules hidden by the logo. The logo should cover no more than 30% of the total code area.
4. Generate — Click "Generate QR Code". The preview appears instantly — no upload, no waiting, no account. Everything is computed locally in your browser using the ISO/IEC 18004 QR standard.
5. Download and use — Download the code as PNG (universally compatible — best for web, email, and standard print sizes) or SVG (infinitely scalable without any quality loss — ideal for large-format printing, vinyl signage, or import into Illustrator, Inkscape or Figma). Pro users can bulk-generate multiple codes at once and export them as a ZIP archive.

Tip: always scan-test the QR code with at least two different devices and apps before printing or publishing. Dark modules on light background offer the best contrast; avoid very low contrast colour combinations.

A QR code consists of black and white modules (square pixels) arranged in a square grid. Three identical finder patterns — the large squares in the top-left, top-right and bottom-left corners — allow scanners to locate and orient the code regardless of rotation angle or perspective distortion. Alignment patterns (in larger QR versions) and timing strips help the scanner map module positions precisely. Within the pattern, various fixed regions are reserved: format information strips (encoding the error-correction level and which of eight mask patterns was applied), version information strips (QR version 7 and above), and the variable-size data and error-correction codeword region in the remaining space.

Data is encoded in one of four modes — Numeric (digits 0–9 only, most compact), Alphanumeric (digits, capital letters, and a limited set of symbols), Byte (arbitrary 8-bit data, including UTF-8 text and binary), or Kanji (16-bit Shift JIS characters). The encoder automatically selects the mode that produces the smallest result for the given input. Reed-Solomon error-correction codewords are then computed and appended to the data codewords — the fraction of the total codewords reserved for error correction depends on the chosen level: 7% (L), 15% (M), 25% (Q), or 30% (H). Finally, the complete bit pattern is mapped onto the grid and one of eight mask patterns is applied, choosing the pattern that minimises difficult-to-scan features such as long runs of same-colour modules.

Maximum data capacity varies significantly by content type and error-correction level. At level L, a QR code can hold up to 7,089 numeric characters, 4,296 alphanumeric characters, 2,953 bytes of binary data, or 1,817 Kanji characters. At level H (30% error correction), usable capacity drops to about 40% of those figures. This is why URLs should be as short as possible: a URL like https://example.com/p/a fits comfortably even at level H, while a tracking URL with multiple long parameters can push the code into QR version 10+ with hundreds of modules, making it harder to scan reliably at small print sizes.