QR code generator
Published
Turn a link or a piece of text into a QR code that updates as you type, then download it as a PNG picture or an SVG drawing. The code is made inside your browser by a bundled open-source library. Your text is never uploaded and never appears in the address bar.
Your QR code
What you type stays in this page. It is not sent to any server, not added to the address, and not stored. The QR code library is part of this site and runs locally.
How to make a code
- Type or paste the link or text. The code appears at once and changes as you edit. Links should start with https:// so a phone recognises them as links.
- Choose the error correction level. Higher levels let a scanner read the code even if part of it is dirty, hidden or damaged, but make the pattern denser. Medium suits most uses.
- Choose the picture size and the quiet margin. The margin is the empty border around the pattern; scanners need it, so keep at least four modules.
- Scan the code with a phone camera before you use it. Check that it opens exactly the address you meant.
- Download PNG for documents, slides and chat, or SVG for print, because an SVG stays sharp at any size.
What the settings mean
Error correction
A QR code stores extra data so that a damaged code can still be read. The four levels, from L to H, are commonly described as recovering about 7, 15, 25 and 30 percent of the code. Choosing a higher level makes the code bigger for the same text, so choose the lowest level that is safe where the code will be used: L for a clean screen, M for ordinary print, Q or H when the code may get scratched, dirty or partly covered.
Size and margin
The code is built from small squares called modules. The picture size is rounded so that every module has a whole number of pixels, which keeps the edges sharp; the line under the code shows the real size. A margin of four modules is the usual recommendation. Printing a code smaller than about two centimetres, or on a surface that curves, makes scanning harder.
PNG and SVG
PNG is a fixed-size picture that works everywhere. SVG describes the squares as shapes, so it scales without blur and is the better choice for posters and stickers. The code is black on white on purpose, because dark-on-light is what scanners expect.
How much fits and what to put in
A QR code can hold a few thousand characters at most, and the more it holds the denser and harder to scan it becomes. Short links scan best. If your address is long, use a shorter page address instead of a link-shortening service you do not control, because such links can be changed or removed later. Text with accents, Korean or other scripts is encoded as UTF-8, which most phone scanners read correctly.
A QR code is not encrypted. Anyone who scans it reads its content, so never put a password, a private key or other secrets in one that other people will see. Do not scan codes from sources you do not trust either, because a code can point to a harmful address.
Problems and fixes
The code will not scan
Make it larger, increase the margin, use a lower error correction level for less density, and check the contrast. A code shown on a dim, glossy or curved screen is harder to scan than a printed one.
Too much text
The tool tells you when the text does not fit. Shorten it or choose a lower error correction level.
The download does not start
Some in-app browsers block downloads. Open this page in your regular browser, or press and hold the code to save the picture.
Browser support
The generator needs only a canvas and basic scripting, which all current browsers provide, so it works on computers and phones. Downloads use a temporary local address created by the browser; very restrictive in-app browsers may block them. This statement comes from documentation of the canvas and Blob features, not from tests on every device.
Privacy: where your text goes
The text is read from the box in this page and turned into squares by a JavaScript library that is served from this site, not from a third party. Nothing is sent, the text is not added to the page address, and nothing is stored in the browser. When you close or reload the page, the text is gone.
Frequently asked questions
Is the text I type sent to a server?
No. The code is generated in your browser by a library that is part of this site. The text is not put in the address bar either.
Does the QR code expire?
A code made here is just a picture of your text and never expires. If it points to a link, the link itself can stop working.
Which error correction level should I choose?
Medium for most uses. Choose higher if the code may be dirty or partly covered, and lower when you need a simpler pattern for a small size.
Can I use the codes commercially?
The tool puts no limit on what you do with the generated picture. The QR Code name is a registered trademark of Denso Wave.
References
Official documentation used to check this article. Pages are maintained by their owners and may change.
Reviewed against ChatLite's current behavior on .