QR codes — invented at Denso Wave in 1994 to track car parts — became the universal bridge between physical and digital: menus, payments, ticketing, Wi-Fi sharing, packaging. A QR code encodes text (most often a URL) in a grid of modules with built-in Reed–Solomon error correction, which is why a scuffed or partially covered code still scans.
This generator creates a QR code from any text or URL, entirely in your browser. Download the image and print it on flyers, slides, menus, or business cards.
How to Use This Tool
- Paste the URL or text to encode.
- The QR code is generated instantly.
- Set the size, then download the PNG.
- Test-scan with a phone before printing at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do QR codes expire?
A QR code generated here is static — the data is encoded directly in the pattern, forever. It stops 'working' only if the URL behind it dies. Commercial 'dynamic QR' services that expire codes are actually expiring their redirect link, not the code itself.
How much data fits in a QR code?
Up to about 4,200 alphanumeric characters in the largest version, but practical codes should stay small: shorter data means larger, easier-to-scan modules. For URLs, shorter links produce visibly cleaner codes.
Why does a damaged QR code still scan?
Reed–Solomon error correction stores redundant data across the grid. At the highest correction level, up to 30% of the code can be obscured — which is also what makes logo-in-the-middle QR codes possible.