Free tool · no signup
QR Code Generator
Make a QR code for any link or text, pick the colours, and download it as PNG or SVG. No expiry.
In short
The QR Code Generator turns any URL or text into a downloadable QR code, as a PNG for screens or an SVG for print. Colours are customisable and the code encodes your link directly, so it does not expire and does not route scans through a third party. It runs in your browser and needs no signup.
Include https:// so phones open it as a link rather than a search.
Optional, and kept small on purpose. The image never leaves your browser.
SVG for print, PNG for screens. Neither expires.
Do QR codes expire?
A QR code itself never expires — it is a printed pattern that encodes a piece of text, usually a URL, and it will decode to that text forever. What expires is a redirect: 'dynamic' QR codes from tracking services encode the service's short link instead of yours, so the code stops working if that service shuts down or you stop paying. A code that encodes your URL directly cannot be switched off.
Static and dynamic QR codes — the difference nobody explains
A static QR code contains your destination directly. Scan it and the phone goes straight to the URL encoded in the pattern. Nothing sits in between, so nothing can break it, charge for it or count it.
A dynamic QR code contains a short link belonging to a QR service, which then redirects to your real destination. That buys two genuine things: you can change the destination after printing, and you get scan analytics. It also means every scan depends on that company continuing to exist and on your subscription continuing to be paid. Codes on printed material have failed for exactly this reason, and by then the material is already out in the world.
This tool produces static codes. If you need to change a destination later, the reliable answer is to encode a URL on your own domain and redirect it yourself — you keep the flexibility without handing anyone a switch.
Making one that actually scans
Most QR failures are physical, not technical. Codes get printed too small for the distance people stand at, placed where a phone cannot easily be held, or laid over a busy photograph that destroys the contrast the scanner needs.
Error correction gives you some tolerance — the highest level can recover a code with roughly 30% of its area damaged or covered, which is what makes a centred logo overlay possible at all. It is a repair budget, not free space: the more you cover, the more likely a worn or badly lit code fails.
- Print at roughly one tenth of the intended scanning distance
- Leave a clear quiet zone of at least four modules around the code
- Keep dark modules on a light background, with real contrast
- Use SVG for print so the edges stay crisp
- Test the printed code with more than one phone before the run
What to point it at
A QR code on a leaflet, van or table card is worth only as much as the page behind it. The most common mistake is pointing it at a homepage, where the person who scanned it has to start navigating — most do not, and the scan is wasted.
Point it at the specific thing the code promised: the menu, the booking form, the offer. Better still, point it somewhere that can answer a question, because a scan is someone showing interest with their phone already in their hand. If the page they land on can respond to 'do you have a table at 7' rather than only display information, the scan turns into an enquiry instead of a bounce.
How to make a QR code
- 1
Enter the link or text
Paste the full URL, including https://, or type any text you want encoded. The preview updates as you type.
- 2
Choose the colours
Set the dark and light colours. Keep strong contrast — dark modules on a light background scan most reliably.
- 3
Set the size
Pick the pixel size for the PNG. For print, download the SVG instead so it stays sharp at any dimension.
- 4
Download it
Download as PNG for screens or SVG for print. The file is generated in your browser and saved directly to your device.
Frequently asked questions
Do these QR codes expire or need a subscription?
No. The code encodes your URL directly rather than a redirect through us, so there is nothing to expire, no account, and no way for us to switch it off. Once downloaded, the file is yours and works even if this page goes away.
What size should I print a QR code?
The usual rule of thumb is a scanning distance of about ten times the code's width, so a 2cm code scans reliably from around 20cm and a poster read from 3m needs roughly 30cm. Add quiet space around it — a clear margin of at least four modules is part of the specification, not decoration.
Can I change the colours?
Yes, within limits that matter. Contrast between the dark and light areas is what makes a code readable, and the dark modules must be genuinely darker than the background. Inverting the code — light on dark — fails on some scanners, so it is safest to keep dark modules on a light field.
Should I use PNG or SVG?
SVG for anything printed or resized: it is vector, so it stays sharp at any size. PNG for screens, email signatures and places that will not accept a vector file. Both encode the same data.
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