How to create a QR code

A practical, up-to-date UK guide. Generate your code below, then follow the steps to customise, test and print it.

Updated 19 July 2026.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Choose your content type. Pick URL, text, email, phone, SMS, WhatsApp, Wi-Fi, contact card or location. The right type makes sure phones open the correct app.
2. Enter the details. Type the value — for example your website address, your Wi-Fi network name and password, or your contact details. The preview updates as you type.
3. Pick colours and error correction. Keep a dark code on a light background. Choose level M for most prints, or H for small or damaged prints.
4. Set the margin and size. Leave at least a four-module quiet zone around the code. Export at 512px for screen, 1024px for print.
5. Download PNG or SVG. PNG is fine for most uses. SVG stays sharp at any size for large-format printing.
6. Test before you print. Scan with several phones and camera apps. Test at the final printed size before ordering materials.

Static vs dynamic QR codes

Need to change a link after it is printed, or see how many people scanned? See dynamic QR codes.

Print size guide

• Minimum ~2 × 2 cm for close-range scanning.
• Rule of thumb: (scanning distance in cm ÷ 10) ≈ minimum code side in cm.
• Always add a quiet zone (margin) of at least four modules.
• Export 1024px PNG or SVG for print; 512px is fine for screen.

Contrast and error correction

Use a dark foreground on a light background. The generator warns you if your colours are too similar. Error correction adds redundancy: level L is smallest, M is the usual default, Q is higher, and H is best for small or partly obscured prints. Higher correction means more modules, so the code is denser.

Adding a logo

You can place a small logo in the centre of a QR code, but keep it under ~20% of the area and raise the error-correction level to H so the code still scans. The free generator does not embed logos; dynamic SmartQRFlow codes support custom logos.

Testing checklist

• Scan with at least two different phones.
• Test with the default camera app and a QR app.
• Print one copy and test at the real size and distance.
• Check the destination opens in the intended app.
• Confirm Wi-Fi codes join the network, not just show text.

Common mistakes

• Reversing colours (light code on dark) — many cameras fail.
• No quiet zone — code runs to the edge and won't scan.
• Printing too small for the scanning distance.
• Putting a large logo that breaks the code.
• Using a long link in a static code — the code is denser and harder to scan; use a short URL or a dynamic code.

Frequently asked questions

Browse every free QR code type.