How to Make a QR Code Free for Any Link or Text

This guide covers what a QR code can hold, how to make one that actually scans, and the mistakes that produce codes nobody can read — including the most common one, which is making the code too small or too low-contrast to scan at all.

What you can put in a QR code

The most common use is a web link, but a QR code can hold any short text: a phone number, an email address, a Wi-Fi network name and password, a short message, or contact details. The code simply stores the text; the phone decides what to do with it. A link starting with https:// opens in the browser, a phone number offers to call, and a Wi-Fi code offers to join the network. Keep the content short, because longer text makes a denser code with tinier squares, which is harder to scan — a short link always beats a long one.

One thing to know: a standard QR code is static, which means the content is baked into the pattern itself. If the link changes later, the code is useless, so double-check the destination before you print. That is also why QR codes are safe to make in your browser — nothing needs to be stored on a server, and the code works forever as long as the link does.

Worked example: a QR code for a menu

Imagine a small café that wants each table to open its online menu. The menu lives at a short link, for example the café's website menu page. Paste that link into the QR Code Generator, download the PNG, and print it at least 3–4 cm across for a table card — bigger if people will scan it from a metre away. Then test it: scan the printed card with two different phones, one iPhone and one Android, in the café's actual lighting. If both open the menu instantly, the job is done. If one struggles, the code is probably too small or the print is too pale.

For a poster on a wall, scale up: a code scanned from 2 metres away needs to be roughly 20 cm across. A rough rule is that the code should be about a tenth of the distance people scan it from. A code on a business card, scanned from 20 cm, can be as small as 2 cm.

Step by step

1. Decide what the code should do — usually open a web link.
2. Shorten a long link first, so the code stays simple and easy to scan.
3. Paste the link or text into the QR Code Generator.
4. Download the code as a PNG.
5. Test it with at least two phones before you print hundreds of copies.

Common mistakes

• Printing too small. A code scanned from arm's length needs to be at least 2–3 cm across; a poster code needs to be far bigger.
• Low contrast. QR codes need dark squares on a light background. A pale grey code on a white card may look stylish and scan terribly.
• Putting a logo over the middle. Covering the centre can break the code. If you add a logo, keep it small and test thoroughly.
• Encoding a long, ugly link. Long text makes a dense code that is slow to scan. Shorten the link first.
• Not testing the print. Screens are forgiving; print is not. Always scan the actual printed copy, not just the file on your screen.

Tips for codes people actually scan

Give people a reason to scan: a short line under the code — “Scan for the menu” — works far better than a bare code. Place the code where a phone can comfortably point at it: flat on a table or at eye level, not on a curved surface or behind glass that reflects light. If the code will live outdoors, print it large and on a matte surface, because glare is the enemy of scanning. And if the link behind the code ever changes, remember that a static code cannot be updated — print a fresh one, and throw the old ones away so nobody follows a dead link.

Frequently asked questions

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