Home / Link QR code
URL to QR code generator
Paste a web address and get a code that opens it. Good for posters, packaging, business cards and anywhere a link needs to survive being printed.
Getting a link that scans well#
A QR code grows as the address gets longer. Every extra character pushes the grid to a higher version with more, smaller squares, and small squares are what make a code fussy to scan in poor light or from an angle. A 25-character link fits in a 25×25 grid; a 200-character link with campaign parameters attached needs roughly 57×57 in the same conditions.
That makes link hygiene the most useful thing you can do here. Strip UTM parameters you are not actually going to read. Drop www. if your site works without it. Use the canonical page rather than a redirect chain. If the destination is deep inside a site, consider a short vanity path instead. Where the information is short and will never change, a text QR code generator avoids the link entirely and keeps working offline.
Always test on more than one phone#
Camera apps differ. iPhones and most recent Android builds detect codes straight from the camera; older devices and some budget handsets need a separate scanner app and are less tolerant of low contrast or tight quiet zones. Before a print run, scan the final artwork on the oldest phone you can find, at the distance and lighting people will really use. Our disclaimer explains why this step matters more than any setting in the generator.
Contrast, colour and the quiet zone#
Scanners look for dark modules against a light background. Keeping the code dark on white is the safest choice; if you must use a brand colour, use a dark one and never invert the code so it is light on dark, which many scanners refuse outright. The blank margin around the code — the quiet zone — is part of the specification, not decoration, and is included in every download here. Do not crop it to make the code fit.
- Paste the full web address, including https://, into the field.
- Leave error correction on M unless the code will be printed somewhere it may get scuffed or partly covered.
- Download the SVG for a design file, or a 2048 px PNG if you need a flat image.
- Scan the finished artwork on at least two different phones before a print run.
Questions about link QR codes#
Do I need to include https:// in the link?
It is safer to include it. Without a scheme, some scanners show the text instead of opening it. This tool adds https:// automatically if you leave it off.
Does a shorter link make a better QR code?
Yes. Fewer characters means a coarser grid, bigger squares and an easier scan. Removing tracking parameters is the quickest improvement.
Can I change the destination after printing?
Not with a static code, because the address is baked into the pattern. Point the code at a short link you control and change the redirect there instead.
Will the code still work if my logo covers part of it?
Often, but only if you raise error correction to Q or H first, keep the logo under about 20% of the area and leave the three corner squares completely clear.
What file format should I give a printer?
SVG. It is vector, so the edges stay crisp at any size. Send a 2048 px PNG only if the printer cannot take vector files.