QR Code Generator
Turn any text or link into a downloadable QR code.
How to use the QR Code Generator
- Type or paste your text or link.
- The QR code updates instantly.
- Click Download PNG to save it.
About the QR Code Generator
QR stands for “Quick Response”. It was invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara at Denso Wave, a Toyota subsidiary, to track car parts: ordinary barcodes held too little data and had to be lined up carefully. Denso Wave holds patents on the format but chose not to exercise them, which is why QR codes are free for anyone to generate and read. The three large squares in the corners are position patterns — they let a scanner find and orient the code from any angle, which is why a QR code still reads upside down while a shop barcode does not.
QR can encode numeric, alphanumeric, byte and kanji data, and capacity depends on the mode, the version (grid size) and the error-correction level — so there is no single “maximum characters” figure. This tool encodes your text at error-correction level M, which recovers roughly 15% of a damaged or covered code. The more you type, the denser the grid and the bigger you must print it. Always leave the quiet zone — the blank margin around the code — clear; crowding a QR code against other artwork is the most common reason scans fail. A rough rule of thumb is 10 units of scanning distance per 1 unit of code width.
The real limitation is that a static code cannot be edited once printed. For a web address, see the URL QR code generator; for network access, the WiFi QR code generator builds the correct payload for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much data can a QR code hold?
There is no single answer. Capacity depends on the encoding mode (numbers pack tighter than letters, letters tighter than arbitrary bytes), the version of the code and the error-correction level you use. In practice, short text and links are fine; long paragraphs produce a code so dense it needs to be printed large to scan.
Do these QR codes expire?
No. The code encodes your text directly and is generated in your browser, so it never contacts our servers and cannot stop working. The flip side is that it also cannot be changed — whatever you print is permanent.
Can I put a logo in the middle?
Often, yes — that trick works because error correction can reconstruct missing modules. This tool uses level M, which recovers about 15%, so keep any overlay small and always test the result with a real phone before printing.
Why does my code look busier when I add more text?
More data means a higher QR version with a finer grid of modules. Each module gets smaller at the same print size, so a dense code needs to be printed larger or scanned closer.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. The whole code is built in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing you type is uploaded, logged or stored.