Do these QR codes expire?

No. The link or text is stored inside the QR code pattern itself, so it keeps working for as long as the destination exists. There is no subscription and nothing to renew.

Can I change where the QR code points after printing?

No. These are static codes, so the address is fixed once generated. If you might change the destination later, point the code at a page on your own website that you can update, rather than a temporary link.

Should I download PNG or SVG?

Use SVG for anything going to a printer or designer, because it scales to any size without going blurry. Use PNG for websites, emails, social posts and documents.

Can I track how many people scan my QR code?

Not through this tool, as the codes link directly to your address with no tracking in between. If you use Google Analytics, you can add campaign tags (UTM parameters) to your URL before generating the code and see those visits in your reports.

Why is my QR code not scanning?

The usual causes are low contrast, printing it too small, cropping the white border, or a typo in the link. Light-coloured codes on dark backgrounds can also trip up some phone cameras. Try the black on white option and print it a little larger.

Is this QR code generator free for business use?

Yes. Generate and download as many codes as you like and use them on anything, with no sign-up and no watermark.

Tools›QR Code Generator

Free Tool

QR Code Generator

Generate a QR code for your website, WhatsApp, email or phone. Download as PNG or SVG. Free, instant, no login.

What do you want to link to?

Website URL

Size

Colour

Preview

📱

Enter a URL or text on the left to generate your QR code

PNG and SVG download available once generated

Where to use it

✓ Business cards and flyers
✓ Restaurant menus
✓ Shop window or signage
✓ Invoices and receipts
✓ Vehicle wraps
✓ WhatsApp contact QR

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How to make a QR code

1Under "What do you want to link to?", pick Website URL, WhatsApp, Email, Phone or Plain text.
2Type the web address, number, email address or message. For WhatsApp, enter the number in international format (for a UK mobile, 44 followed by the number without its first 0).
3Choose a size: Small, Medium or Large.
4Choose a colour scheme. Black on white is the safest option for print.
5Check the preview, then press "Download PNG" or "Download SVG".

Where small businesses use QR codes

A QR code is useful anywhere someone sees your business offline and you want them to take one step online. The best ones send people to a page that matches what they were just looking at.

Business cards

Link to your website or a WhatsApp chat so people can contact you without typing anything.

Menus and table cards

Send diners to your online menu, booking page or Google review link.

Flyers and leaflets

Point to a specific offer page rather than your homepage, so people land on exactly what the flyer promised.

Shop windows and signage

Let passers-by see opening times, book or browse when you are closed.

Vans and vehicle wraps

Only works when parked, so make it large and place it where people can stand close enough to scan.

Invoices and receipts

Link to your reviews page or your contact details for repeat work.

Size and contrast tips for printing

Contrast matters more than anything else. Dark modules on a light background scan most reliably, which is why black on white is the default. The inverted options (yellow or white on black) look striking, but some phone cameras struggle with them, so test before committing to a print run.

Size depends on how far away people will be. On a business card or table card, around 2 to 2.5 cm across is a sensible minimum. A common rule of thumb is that the code should be at least a tenth of the scanning distance, so a poster read from 2 metres away needs a code of roughly 20 cm.

Keep the white border around the code when you place it in a design. Scanners use that quiet space to find the edges. Do not crop it tight or put text right up against it.

Always test before you print

Scan the downloaded file with at least two different phones, ideally one iPhone and one Android, and check it opens the right page. Then print one test copy at the final size and scan that too. A typo in a URL costs nothing to fix now and a whole box of flyers later.

QR code generator FAQs

A QR code is only as good as the page it opens. Browse our other free business tools, or get a free website analysis to make sure that page turns visitors into enquiries.

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