What a URL QR code does
A URL QR code opens a web page. Someone points their phone camera at it, taps the link that pops up, and lands on your page. There is no app to install. Every modern iPhone and Android phone can do it with the normal camera.
It is the most common kind of QR code. People use it on posters, menus, flyers, product boxes, shop windows, slides and business cards.
How to make one
- Paste your link into the box at the top.
- Choose Photo code to put a picture inside the code, or Styled code for classic black and white, colours or a logo.
- Wait for the green Scans well note under the preview.
- Pick a size and press Download PNG.
That is it. The code is made in your browser, so the link you type is never sent to us.
Tips for a code that works every time
- Test the real link. Open it on your phone first. A code can only be as good as the page it opens.
- Keep it short. Remove extra tracking parts you do not need. Shorter links give cleaner codes.
- Print it big enough. A good rule: the code should be at least one tenth as wide as the distance people will scan it from. For a flyer held in the hand, 2–3 cm is enough. For a poster seen from 2 metres, aim for 20 cm.
- Keep the white border. The quiet space around the code helps phones find it.
- Scan a test print with two or three different phones before you print hundreds.
When a link code is not the right choice
If you want people to join your Wi‑Fi, save your contact, or send you a WhatsApp message, use the matching code type instead. Those open the right app straight away, with no web page in between. You can switch type with the buttons above the form.
Questions people ask
Will my QR code expire?
No. The link is written into the code itself. It does not go through our servers, so there is nothing for us to switch off. As long as your website works, the code works.
Can I change the link after I print the code?
No. This is a static code: the link is part of the pattern. To change where it goes later, point the code at a page you control, such as your own short link or a page on your site that you can update.
Can I track how many people scan it?
Not with the code alone, because scans never touch our servers. You can add tracking tags to your link (for example ?utm_source=poster) and read the visits in your own website statistics.
Why does a long link make the code look busier?
Every letter needs space in the pattern. Longer links need more, smaller squares, which also leaves less room for your photo. Short links make cleaner codes that scan from farther away.
Do I need to type https:// at the start?
No. If you leave it out, we add https:// for you. If your site only works on http://, type http:// yourself.