How to create a WiFi QR code
- 1
Enter your network
Type the network name (SSID) exactly as it appears on your router, including capital letters and spaces.
- 2
Add the password and security
Choose WPA/WPA2/WPA3 for almost every modern router. Pick “No password” only for open networks.
- 3
Design, download and test
Add a “Scan to connect” frame, download it, then scan it with your own phone before printing.
How a WiFi QR code works
A WiFi QR code stores your network name, password and security type in a standard format that phone cameras understand. When someone scans it, their phone offers to join the network. They never see or type the password.
The code is static: the details live inside the pattern itself. It works without internet, never expires, and QRStitch never sees your password, because the code is created in your browser.
Which phones can scan it?
The built-in camera on iPhone (iOS 11 and later) and on most Android phones (Android 10 and later) joins WiFi directly from a QR code. On older Android phones, Google Lens or the QR scanner in the quick settings panel works too.
Choosing the right security setting
- WPA / WPA2 / WPA3: use this for almost every home, office and café router made in the last 15 years.
- WEP: only for very old routers. WEP is insecure; if your router offers WPA2, switch to it.
- No password: for open guest networks. Anyone nearby can join, so keep it separate from your main network.
If your network is hidden (it doesn’t appear in the WiFi list), switch on “Hidden network” so phones know to look for it.
Use a guest network for public codes
If the code will sit on a café table or a hotel wall, point it at a guest network, not the network your office computers, printers and cameras use. Most routers can create one in a few clicks. Guests get internet access but can’t see your other devices, and you can change the guest password without disturbing your own equipment. Many routers also let you limit guest speed so one heavy user doesn’t slow everyone down.
Where to put your WiFi QR code
- Cafés and restaurants: table tents, menus and the counter.
- Hotels and homestays: key-card sleeves, room welcome cards and reception.
- Offices and co-working spaces: meeting rooms and the guest desk.
- Clinics, salons and waiting rooms: next to the seating, so people connect while they wait.
- At home: a small print on the fridge or near the router for visiting friends and family.
Printing tips
Print the code at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide for scanning at arm’s length, and larger for walls: roughly 1 cm of code for every 10 cm of scanning distance. Keep a white border around it, use dark colours on a light background, and add a short call to action such as “Scan to join WiFi”.
It also helps to print the network name and password in small text under the code, for laptops and older devices that can’t scan.
Changed your password? A static WiFi code has to be reprinted. Put the code where it’s easy to replace, or use a guest network whose password rarely changes.