QR codes have become an essential part of modern communication. They appear on restaurant menus, business cards, product packaging, event tickets, and marketing materials everywhere. Creating a QR code is fast, free, and requires no technical knowledge. This guide covers how to generate QR codes for different purposes, how to customize them, and best practices for ensuring they scan reliably every time.
What Is a QR Code and How Does It Work?
A QR (Quick Response) code is a two-dimensional barcode that stores information in a pattern of black and white squares. When scanned with a smartphone camera or QR reader app, the encoded information is decoded and acted upon. Unlike traditional barcodes that store only a string of numbers, QR codes can encode URLs, text, contact information, WiFi credentials, and much more.
QR codes include built-in error correction, which means they can still be scanned even if part of the code is obscured or damaged. This error correction has four levels: Low (7%), Medium (15%), Quartile (25%), and High (30%). Higher error correction makes the code more reliable but also increases the size and density of the pattern.
Types of QR Codes You Can Create
The ConvertKr QR Code Generator supports multiple content types. Each type triggers a different action when scanned.
URL QR Codes
The most common type. Scanning opens a website URL in the user’s browser. Use these for linking to your website, a specific product page, a landing page, an app download link, or any web resource. URL QR codes are ideal for print materials where you want to bridge the gap between physical and digital content.
WiFi QR Codes
A WiFi QR code encodes your network name (SSID), password, and encryption type. When guests scan it, their phone automatically connects to your WiFi network without them needing to type the password. This is perfect for cafes, offices, rental properties, and home guests. No more spelling out complicated passwords.
vCard QR Codes
A vCard QR code contains contact information: name, phone number, email address, company, job title, and physical address. When scanned, the phone prompts the user to save the contact directly to their address book. Place these on business cards, conference badges, or your office door so people can save your details instantly.
Email QR Codes
An email QR code opens the user’s email app with the recipient address, subject line, and even a pre-filled message body. Use these on feedback forms, customer service signs, and marketing materials to make it effortless for people to reach you.
Plain Text QR Codes
A text QR code simply displays a block of text when scanned. This is useful for short messages, instructions, serial numbers, or any information you want to share without linking to a website. The text is self-contained in the code, so it works without an internet connection.
How to Generate a QR Code Step by Step
Creating a QR code takes less than a minute. Here is the process from start to finish.
Step 1: Choose Your Content Type
Open the QR code generator and select the type of QR code you want to create: URL, WiFi, vCard, email, or text. Each type has its own input form tailored to the specific fields needed.
Step 2: Enter Your Information
Fill in the required fields. For a URL, paste your web address. For WiFi, enter your network name and password. For a vCard, fill in your contact details. Double-check everything before generating, because a QR code with a typo in the URL or phone number is useless.
Step 3: Customize the Appearance
While the classic black-on-white design works perfectly, you can customize your QR code to match your branding. Adjust the foreground and background colors, change the size, and select the error correction level. More on customization in the next section.
Step 4: Download Your QR Code
Download the finished QR code as a PNG for digital use or SVG for print. Always scan the downloaded code with your own phone before publishing it to verify that it works correctly.
Customizing Your QR Code
A customized QR code grabs more attention and reinforces your brand identity. Here are the customization options available and how to use them effectively.
Colors
You can change the foreground (the squares) and background colors to match your brand palette. The key rule is to maintain high contrast between the two colors. Dark foreground on light background works best. Avoid light-on-light or dark-on-dark combinations, as these reduce scannability. Never use red on green or other color combinations that are difficult for colorblind users to distinguish.
Size
The size of your QR code depends on where it will be used. For business cards, a 2 cm (0.8 inch) square is usually sufficient. For posters and signage, scale up proportionally to the expected scanning distance. A good rule of thumb is that the QR code should be at least one-tenth the scanning distance. If someone will scan from 2 meters away, the code should be at least 20 cm across.
Error Correction Level
Higher error correction levels allow the QR code to remain scannable even if up to 30% of it is damaged or obscured. Use higher error correction if the code will be printed on materials that might get scratched, folded, or partially covered. For digital use where the code will always be displayed cleanly, lower error correction produces a simpler, less dense pattern.
Best Practices for QR Code Placement and Usage
A QR code is only useful if people can scan it. These best practices ensure your codes work reliably in the real world.
- Always test before publishing: Scan your QR code with multiple phones and QR reader apps before printing or posting it. What works on one phone should work on all phones, but testing catches errors in the encoded content.
- Include a call to action: Do not just place a QR code by itself. Add text like “Scan to visit our menu,” “Scan for WiFi access,” or “Scan to save contact.” People are more likely to scan when they know what they will get.
- Ensure adequate size: A QR code that is too small cannot be scanned reliably. For printed materials, never go below 2 cm x 2 cm. For signage meant to be scanned from a distance, make the code proportionally larger.
- Maintain a quiet zone: Leave a margin of blank space around the QR code equal to at least four times the width of one square module. This “quiet zone” helps scanners identify where the code begins and ends.
- Avoid placing on curved surfaces: QR codes on bottles, cups, and other curved surfaces can be difficult to scan because the curvature distorts the pattern. If you must use a curved surface, make the code smaller relative to the curve so it lies mostly flat.
- Choose the right file format: Use SVG files for print materials because they scale to any size without losing quality. Use PNG files for digital displays, websites, and social media where a specific pixel size is needed.
Creative Uses for QR Codes
Beyond the standard business card and website link, QR codes can be used in creative and practical ways that add genuine value.
- Restaurant menus: Link to a digital menu that you can update anytime without reprinting. This also improves hygiene by reducing shared physical menus.
- Real estate signs: Link to a virtual tour, photo gallery, or detailed listing page so interested buyers can get more information instantly while standing in front of the property.
- Product packaging: Link to instruction manuals, recipe ideas, warranty registration, or ingredient sourcing information.
- Event tickets and badges: Encode attendee information for quick check-in scanning instead of manual name lookups.
- Classroom handouts: Link to supplementary materials, videos, or interactive exercises that extend the printed lesson.
- Personal projects: Add a QR code to a gift tag linking to a personalized video message, or create a scavenger hunt with QR codes at each checkpoint.
QR codes are one of the simplest and most effective ways to connect physical materials with digital content. With the free QR code generator, you can create professional, customized codes for any purpose in under a minute. Just remember to test before you publish and always give people a reason to scan.