How to create a free QR code
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QR codes have become part of everyday life — on menus, packaging, business cards and WiFi signs at businesses. Creating one is simpler than it looks, and doesn't require any app installed.
What a QR code actually is
A QR code encodes a piece of information — a link, a text, a WiFi network's details — into a pattern a phone camera reads in under a second. The advantage over typing is speed: instead of typing a long URL or a WiFi password full of symbols, you just point the camera.
Choosing the right type of QR code
Link (URL): to point to a website, digital menu or social media profile.
WiFi: to let guests connect to the network without saying the password out loud or writing it down.
WhatsApp: to open a chat with a message already filled in, useful for support materials.
Contact (vCard): so the person can save your details to their phone's address book with a single tap, without typing anything.
Generating the QR code
Pick the type, fill in the matching fields, adjust colors and size if you want to customize it, and download it as PNG (for everyday use) or SVG (if you'll scale it up a lot, like on a printed sign).
Common mistakes when creating a QR code
Using a low error correction level on a QR code that will be printed small or placed somewhere exposed to dirt — a higher level tolerates more damage before it stops scanning.
Leaving too little margin (the blank area around the pattern) — this can prevent scanning even when the QR code itself is intact.
Only checking the QR code visually, without actually scanning it with a phone before printing it in bulk.