What is the QR Code Generator tool?
A QR code is a shortcut between paper and a phone. Point the camera, tap, done — no typing a long address off a poster. This free QR code generator builds the code from whatever you want the scan to do, shows it as you type, and hands you a PNG. It also does something most generators do not: it can stamp the finished code straight onto a PDF.
Seven content types are available as chips at the top: a web address, plain text, an email with
optional subject and message, a phone number, an SMS with a pre-written message, WiFi credentials, or a
vCard contact with name, organisation, job title, phone, email and website. Whichever you pick, the
Encoded payload box shows the exact string being written into the code — so you can see that a
WiFi code is really WIFI:T:WPA;S:… and not some redirect through a tracking domain.
That is the second thing worth knowing: the code is generated in your browser and points where you told it to point. There is no short link in the middle, so it cannot expire, start charging, or stop working because a service shut down. And nothing you type — including a WiFi password or a client's phone number — is sent anywhere.
How to create a QR code online
- Pick a type under What should the QR code do? — URL, Text, Email, Phone, SMS, WiFi or vCard — and fill in the fields that appear.
- Check the Encoded payload line and the live code on the right. The caption under it reports the module grid, the QR version and the error-correction level in use.
- Set the appearance: PNG size in pixels, dark and light colours, and error correction from L to H. Under Advanced QR options you can switch the module shape to rounded or dots, change the quiet-zone margin, or drop a logo into the centre.
- Press Download PNG to save the image on its own.
- To put it on a document, drop a PDF into Stamp onto a PDF, choose a corner or centre with the nine-point grid, and set the size, edge margin and opacity in points.
- Type page numbers in Apply to pages — or leave it empty for every page — then press Stamp & Download.
Key features
- Seven payload types — URL (a missing
https://is added for you), text, mailto, tel, SMSTO, WiFi and a version 3.0 vCard. - The payload in plain sight — a read-only field shows the exact encoded string, with the WiFi password masked on screen until you reveal it.
- Real appearance control — any dark and light colour, square, rounded or dot modules, a PNG from 128 to 2048 pixels, and a quiet zone you can tune from 0 to 8 modules.
- Error correction you choose — L, M, Q or H, with H recommended when you cover part of the code with a logo.
- Optional centre logo — drop in a PNG or JPG and scale it between 8% and 30% of the code, with an on-page reminder that a logo eats real data.
- Stamp onto a PDF — nine positions, size and margin in points, opacity from 10% to 100%, and a page range so only the cover or the last page gets the code.
- Sequential codes per page — switch to Sequential code per page and a
suffix template such as
?page={page}gives every page its own unique link, with{total}available too. - Preview that matches the output — the page preview draws the code at the exact position, size and opacity it will be stamped with, and reports the coordinates in points.
Benefits of using this QR code generator
- The code never expires. Your content is encoded directly, so there is no intermediary link that could break once your poster is already printed.
- Nothing is tracked. Generation happens on your device, so a WiFi password or a private phone number never travels over the network.
- Print-ready output. Export up to 2048 pixels for large-format printing, and keep the quiet zone at 4 modules so scanners lock on reliably.
- No watermark or attribution. The PNG is just the code, safe to drop into a flyer, a business card or a product label.
- Paper and PDF in one step. Generating the image and placing it on a document usually needs two tools; here it is one page.
Who should use this tool?
Small shops and cafés
A WiFi code on the table saves you spelling out the password twenty times a day — set the security to WPA, type the SSID and password, and print it at 1024 pixels. A URL code next to the till can point at your menu or review page in your own brand colours.
Event organisers
Put a code on the programme that opens the schedule, and use Sequential code per page when
each page of a handout needs its own link — page 3 encodes ?page=3 automatically. Stamping
directly onto the PDF means the printer gets one file, not an image to position by hand.
Freelancers and consultants
A vCard code on the back of a business card drops your name, company, title, phone, email and website straight into someone's contacts. Keep error correction at Q or H so the code still scans after the card has spent a week in a wallet.
Teachers and trainers
Worksheets can carry a code linking to the answer sheet or a video. Stamp it small in a corner at reduced opacity so it does not dominate the page, and restrict it to the pages that need it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this QR code generator free for commercial use?
Yes. The PNG is a plain image with no watermark and no licence attached, so you can use it on packaging, signage or printed material. There is no signup and no limit on how many you make.
Do the codes expire or get tracked?
No. Your content is encoded directly into the code rather than routed through a short link, so nothing sits between the scanner and the destination. Nothing to expire, nothing counting scans.
How does a WiFi QR code work, and is it safe to print?
It encodes the network name, security type and password in the standard WIFI: format
that phone cameras understand. Anyone who scans it can also read the password, so it belongs on a
guest network or somewhere you are happy for visitors to have access.
Can I put my logo in the middle of the code?
You can, from 8% to 30% of the code area. A logo covers modules that carried data, so set error correction to H and keep it under about 25% — then test the result with a real phone before printing.
What size should I download the QR code PNG at?
512 pixels is fine for screens and A4. Go to 1024 or 2048 for posters and large signs. The image is drawn from the module grid rather than scaled up, so bigger sizes stay crisp.
Can it place the code on only some pages of a PDF?
Yes. Type something like 1-3, 5, 8 in Apply to pages, or leave the box empty to
stamp every page. The finished file downloads as your original name with -qr added.
Why does it say the payload is too long?
A QR code has a capacity limit that shrinks as error correction rises. A very long vCard or URL at level H can exceed it — shorten the content, or drop to M or Q, and it will encode.
Will the code still scan if I change the colours?
Only if the contrast stays strong: dark modules on a light background, ideally not inverted. Pale grey on white or two similar tones will fail on many cameras, so check the preview with your phone.
Related tools you might need
Pick a type, type your content, and let this free QR code generator do the rest — nothing is uploaded and nothing expires.
Make my QR code now