QR code generator
Turn a URL or a short piece of text into a QR code, then download it as a PNG or SVG. The code contains exactly what you enter; this page does not check whether a URL is safe or reachable.
Input is limited to 1,000 UTF-8 bytes. Choose a 512, 1,024, or 2,048 px square output, then test the final version before you share or print it.
Enter text or a URL, then select Generate QR code to preview it.
PNG or SVG: which should you choose?
PNG is convenient for documents, slides, and messages. SVG can be resized in design software that supports it. Keep the white background and clear space around the code in either format.
Can I change the content after downloading?
No. The image contains the text or URL you entered. To use different content, generate a new QR code and replace the image. Whether a linked page opens depends on that destination.
What should I check before printing?
Keep the white margin around the code. Before printing a large batch, test the final file at its intended size and scan it with a phone. This generator does not verify the destination or guarantee that every scanner can read the print.
Make a QR Code, Then Check the Destination
Back to toolCheck where a URL opens before you encode it
This generator encodes the text or URL you enter. It does not add a missing protocol, shorten the address, check whether the site exists, or create a special Wi-Fi or contact card code. A QR image can carry a URL that is broken, private, or no longer in use.
Suppose an event organizer wants to add a signup link to a flyer. If the intended address is https://example.com/workshop-signup, first open that address in a browser and make sure it leads to the attendee signup page. Paste the complete URL here and generate the code. Scan the downloaded image and confirm that the decoded content is the same URL, then open it separately to check the destination. This is a hypothetical example, and the example address is not a live event page.
If you enter ordinary text, a scanner may display that text instead of opening a website. The code does not turn a sentence into a webpage.
More input can mean a denser QR code
This tool accepts up to 1,000 UTF-8 bytes. That is a limit of this generator, not the maximum capacity of every QR code. The amount a QR code can hold depends on its character encoding, symbol version, and error correction level. This generator uses level M, which is fixed.
A byte is not always one visible character. Japanese text and emoji, for example, can take several UTF-8 bytes each. If the input contains at least one non-whitespace character, spaces and line breaks are encoded as entered; whitespace-only input is rejected. Check the exact text you want to encode before generating the image.
More input can require a higher QR Code version, which has more modules. Added data may still fit within the current version, so the module count does not rise with every character. If a version change adds modules and the printed code stays the same width, each module becomes smaller. When an input is too long, I would first look for a shorter URL that still opens the correct page. Keep required path or query details; removing them can change which event, session, or form the link opens.
Choose PNG or SVG for the way you will use it
PNG works well in documents, slides, and messages. The available square outputs are 512, 1,024, and 2,048 pixels per side. Those numbers describe image dimensions, not a printed size in inches or centimeters.
SVG is useful when a design program can place vector artwork and you need to resize it for a layout. Scaling an SVG does not make every printed size readable: the physical width of each module, print quality, and scanning conditions still matter.
The selected output dimensions change the file size in pixels, not the text encoded in the QR code. A larger PNG does not increase the code's data capacity.
| Format | Useful for | Check before sharing or printing |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Documents, slides, and messages | Choose the pixel dimensions and use the downloaded file. |
| SVG | A design layout that supports vector images | Confirm that the design software imports SVG and keeps the white margin. |
Leave a clear four-module margin
A QR code needs an unprinted quiet zone four modules wide on every side. A module is one small square in the code, not one output pixel. This generator includes that white margin in both PNG and SVG downloads.
Do not crop the margin or place text, a border, or artwork over it. If a code feels cramped in a flyer column, give it more space or use a shorter destination URL that you have checked. Do not stretch the square code into a rectangle.
Test the final file at its intended size
For the example flyer, place the downloaded SVG in the layout, export the final PDF, and print a proof at the size readers will see. Scan the proof and check that it returns the expected URL. Then open that URL and confirm the page is the one attendees need. Those checks answer different questions: reading the code does not prove that the destination is correct.
A scan test applies to the file, size, device, and conditions you tested. It does not predict a success rate for every phone or print job. If the final PDF was resized or compressed, scan that exported copy rather than relying only on a preview of the original download.
The QR image is static. If you change the URL or text, generate a replacement and update the flyer. If the page content changes while its URL stays the same, the QR image still points to that address.
Questions about QR codes
Can I edit the QR code after downloading it?
No. The downloaded image carries the text or URL that was entered. Change the input, generate a new code, and replace the old image.
Does this tool check whether a URL is safe or working?
No. It encodes the URL as text and does not test the site's security, existence, or availability. Open the destination yourself before sharing the code.
Can I create a Wi-Fi or contact card QR code?
This tool makes a code from ordinary text or a URL. It does not turn form fields into a special Wi-Fi or contact card format.
Is the content uploaded or saved?
The QR image is generated in your browser. The input is not uploaded or saved automatically. The code itself does not encrypt the text, so anyone who can scan it may be able to read its contents. Do not encode passwords or private details.
Input and output limits
Enter text or a URL up to 1,000 UTF-8 bytes. The generator uses error correction level M and creates a square 512, 1,024, or 2,048 px PNG or SVG. It encodes the input as entered and does not validate the URL, add data fields, or guarantee that a scanner can read the final image.
Sources
- DENSO WAVE: Information capacity and versions of the QR CodeExplains how QR Code capacity varies with character type, symbol version, and error correction level.
- DENSO WAVE: Error Correction FeatureDescribes the trade-off between error correction and the amount of data in a QR Code.
- DENSO WAVE: Point for determining the code areaSpecifies a clear margin four modules wide around a QR Code and discusses print size.
Updated