QR codes are everywhere now — restaurant menus, business cards, packaging, posters, even gym equipment. They are essentially clickable URLs that work in the physical world: point a phone camera at one and it opens whatever destination is encoded in it.
This guide covers exactly how to create a QR code for any URL, WiFi network, contact card, or piece of text — for free, with no signup, in under a minute.
Once an obscure curiosity, QR codes became mainstream during 2020 when restaurants needed contactless menus. They have stayed in use because they solve a real problem: getting people from the physical world to a digital destination without typing a URL.
Common uses today include:
Use SVG for any printed material. SVG is a vector format — the QR code is stored as instructions for drawing shapes, not as pixels. This means it scales infinitely without becoming blurry. A 100×100 SVG can be printed on a billboard or a postage stamp and still look razor-sharp.
Use PNG for screens. PNG is pixel-based. It works perfectly for websites, social media, email signatures, and presentations. Generate at the size you need (or larger — never smaller), and quality will be fine on screen.
When in doubt, generate both. Both formats are free to download from Criply's QR code generator.
A WiFi QR code lets anyone with a smartphone join your network by pointing their camera at the code — no password typing required:
Print the QR code on a small card and stick it near reception, on a noticeboard, or on the fridge. Guests scan it and connect — no more dictating "capital P, then 7, then dollar sign" over and over.
This step takes 30 seconds and saves significant embarrassment. Before sending a poster, business card, or menu to print:
The most common QR code disasters are typos in the URL (no one notices until it is printed on 5,000 menus) and using a too-small print size that cameras cannot focus on. Test on both an iPhone and Android — they use slightly different scanners.
The minimum reliable size is determined by scanning distance. Rough rule: minimum QR code size = scanning distance ÷ 10.
Add quiet space (whitespace) around the code equal to at least 4 modules. Without that buffer, scanners struggle to identify the edges of the code.
Do Criply QR codes expire?
No. QR codes generated by Criply are static — the destination is encoded directly in the code itself. They work forever. Dynamic QR codes (which route through a third-party server) carry the risk of going dead if the redirect service shuts down.
Can I customise the colour or add a logo?
Yes — both foreground and background colours can be changed. Use high contrast (dark on light) for reliable scanning. Logos in the centre work because QR codes have built-in error correction up to 30% of the code area.
How much data can a QR code hold?
Up to ~7,000 numeric characters or ~4,300 alphanumeric characters at the largest size. For URLs, anything up to 200 characters works comfortably. For longer content, link to a webpage rather than encoding the whole text.
What if my QR code does not scan?
Three causes account for most failures: too small for the scanning distance, low contrast (light grey on white never works), or insufficient quiet space around the code. Increase size first, then check contrast, then add whitespace.
Use our free QR Code Generator tool — works in your browser, nothing to install.
QR Code Generator — Free