URL QR Code Generator

How to turn a link into a QR code

1. 1

   Paste your link

   Copy the full address from your browser’s address bar and paste it above. We add https:// if you leave it out.

2. 2

   Style it

   Pick colours with strong contrast, add your logo and a “Scan me” frame. The scan check warns you if a choice makes it harder to read.

3. 3

   Download and test

   Download a PNG for screens or an SVG for print, then scan it with two different phones before you print.

What happens when someone scans it

A URL QR code stores the web address itself. When a phone camera reads it, the phone shows the address and opens it in the browser, or in the matching app for links such as Instagram or YouTube. Nothing sits between the scan and your page: no redirect, no account and no expiry. The code works for as long as the page at that address exists.

Static or dynamic: which link QR code do you need?

The code on this page is static. The link is written into the pattern, so it’s free and permanent, but it can never be changed. If you print 5,000 flyers and the page moves, the flyers still point to the old address.

A dynamic QR code stores a short link that forwards to your page. You can change where it goes at any time and see how many people scan, by day, country and device. Use static for links that will never change, such as your homepage or a permanent profile. Use dynamic for campaigns, menus, and anything you’ll want to update.

Tips for a link that scans easily

• Shorter links make simpler codes. A long address with tracking parameters adds more modules (the small squares), so the code must be printed larger to scan from the same distance. Remove parameters you don’t need.
• Use https. Browsers label plain http:// pages as “Not secure”, which puts people off at the moment they arrive.
• Link to a mobile-friendly page. Almost everyone who scans is on a phone. Send them to a page that loads fast and reads well on a small screen, not a desktop-only site.
• Avoid free link shorteners for print. If the shortening service shuts down or deletes inactive links, your printed code breaks. If you want a short, editable link, use a dynamic code you control.
• Track campaigns with UTM parameters. Adding ?utm_source=poster&utm_medium=qr lets Google Analytics show visits from the code. Keep the parameters short (see the first tip).

Where people use link QR codes

• Posters and flyers linking to event sign-ups, offers and registrations
• Product packaging linking to manuals, recipes, warranties and reorder pages
• Business cards and email signatures linking to a portfolio or booking page
• Restaurant tables and shop counters linking to an online menu or store
• Slides and handouts, so the audience can open your resources on the spot
• Real estate boards linking to the full listing with photos and a floor plan

How big should you print it?

Make the code at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide on a business card and 3–4 cm on flyers and table cards. For posters and signs, a useful rule is one-tenth of the scanning distance: a code read from 2 metres away should be about 20 cm wide.

Always leave a quiet zone, a plain margin at least four modules wide, around the code. Scanners use it to find the edges. Dark modules on a light background scan best; light-on-dark designs fail on some phones, and the scan check will tell you if yours is at risk.

Test before you print

Scan the final file with at least two phones, ideally one iPhone and one Android, from the distance people will actually stand. Check that the right page opens, loads quickly on mobile data and makes the next step obvious. A minute of testing saves a reprint.