How to Create a QR Code for a Link, Text or Wi-Fi
Make a QR code that scans reliably, add your logo and colors, and avoid the mistakes that break codes in print.
4 min read
QR codes are everywhere: menus, posters, business cards, product packaging, event tickets and the Wi-Fi card in a holiday rental. Anyone with a phone camera can scan one, so a QR code is the quickest way to get people from paper to a website, or onto your network without typing a long password.
What a QR code can contain
A QR code is simply text stored as a pattern of squares. What the phone does with it depends on the content:
- A link opens the web page in the browser. This is the most common use.
- Plain text is shown on screen, for example a short note, a serial number or contact details.
- Wi-Fi details (network name, password and encryption) let the phone join the network with one tap.
The codes you create here are static: the content is stored in the code itself. They never expire and do not depend on any service, but they also cannot be edited later. If the link changes, you make a new code.
How to create a QR code with QodeCat
The QR Code Generator creates the code in your browser. Nothing you type, including Wi-Fi passwords, is sent to a server.
- Choose a tab: Link, Text or WiFi.
- Enter the content. For a link, paste the full address including https://. For Wi-Fi, enter the Network Name (SSID) and password exactly as they are, choose the Encryption (WPA/WPA2 for almost all home routers, WEP, or No Password), and set Hidden? to Yes only if your network does not broadcast its name.
- Under Customize, pick the Dots Color and Background. To add your logo, upload an image (up to 2 MB) under Brand Logo and adjust its size. It is placed in the center of the code.
- Watch the Live Preview and scan it with your phone to check that it opens the right thing.
- Choose the PNG size (512, 1024 or 2048 pixels square; 1024 is the default) and click Download PNG, or click Download SVG for a vector file. Keep Include White Margin switched on unless you will add space around the code yourself.
The codes use the highest error correction level, which means up to about 30% of the pattern can be covered or damaged and the code still scans. That is what makes room for a logo.
Mistakes that break QR codes
- Too little contrast. Use dark dots on a light background. Light dots on a dark background, or pale colors such as yellow, fail on many phones.
- A logo that is too large. Keep it around 20 to 25% and test again after every change.
- No quiet zone. Scanners need empty space around the code. Do not place it right against a busy photo or the edge of the paper.
- Printing it too small. As a rule of thumb, a code should be at least 2 to 3 cm wide, and bigger the further away people will scan it.
- Very long content. The more text, the denser the pattern. Use a short URL where you can.
- Not testing the printed version. Scan a test print with more than one phone before ordering hundreds of copies.
For print, SVG is the best choice: it is a vector file that stays perfectly sharp at any size, and designers and print shops can place it straight into a layout. If you need a PNG, 1024 px is plenty for screens and documents, and 2048 px covers most printed material.
Frequently asked questions
Do QR codes expire?
Static codes like these do not. As long as the content is valid, for example the website still exists, the code keeps working.
Can I track how many people scanned my code?
Not with a static code, because the phone goes straight to the content. If you need statistics, point the code at a link with tracking parameters and read them in your website analytics.
Can I make a QR code that opens a WhatsApp chat?
Yes. Create the chat link with the WhatsApp Link Generator, then paste it into the Link tab here to get a code with your colors and logo.