Free QR Code Generator
Turn any link or text into a clean, custom QR code. Pick your colors, drop in a logo, and download a crisp PNG or SVG. Free, no sign-up, and everything runs right in your browser.
Create your QR code
The empty border around the code. Keep at least 4 so scanners lock on.
Higher levels rebuild more of a damaged code. Use H when you add a center logo.
100% in-browser. Your content and logo are never uploaded to a server. The QR code is built on your device.
Do More on Your Website
A QR code sends people somewhere. These free CommonNinja widgets turn those visitors into followers and repeat traffic once they land.
Instagram Feed
Pull your latest Instagram posts onto any page, so the people who scanned your code see fresh content the moment they arrive.
Instagram Slider
Show your Instagram posts in a clean horizontal slider, so visitors browse your visuals without leaving your site.
Instagram Carousel
Display your posts in a tappable carousel. Visitors swipe through your visual story on any page.
Social Share Buttons
Make it one tap for visitors to share your page. Every share extends the reach of the link behind your QR code.
Explore More Free Tools
Other free tools to build and polish your website.
Free OG Image Generator
Design social share images that look sharp on every platform, no design tool needed.
Use Tool →Free Favicon Generator
Turn any image into a crisp favicon in every size browsers and devices expect.
Use Tool →Free Color Palette Generator
Build balanced color palettes for your brand and export the hex codes in one click.
Use Tool →Free Box Shadow Generator
Dial in a CSS box-shadow with live preview and copy the code straight into your site.
Use Tool →Free CSS Button Generator
Style a button visually and grab clean, ready-to-paste CSS with no guesswork.
Use Tool →Free Screenshot Beautifier
Turn plain screenshots into polished images with padding, gradients, and device frames.
Use Tool →How It Works
How to make a QR code
No account, no sign-up, completely free. The code is built in your browser, so your link and logo are never uploaded to any server.
Add your link or text
Paste a URL or type any text. The QR code updates live as you type, so you see the result right away.
Style and add a logo
Set the size, colors, and quiet zone, pick an error-correction level, and drop a logo in the center if you want one.
Download PNG or SVG
Grab a PNG for screens or an SVG for print. Both download instantly, with no watermark.
The Basics
How QR codes work, and when to use one
A QR code is just a link in visual form. Instead of typing an address, someone points a camera at the pattern and their phone opens it. That tiny shortcut is what makes QR codes so useful in the physical world.
content → grid of modules → phone camera → your page
The pattern encodes your text or URL as a grid of squares called modules. Built-in error correction means the code still reads even when part of it is smudged or covered, which is exactly what lets you drop a logo in the middle.
Reach for a QR code any time you want to move someone from something physical to something online without making them type. A poster that opens your event page, a product label that links to setup instructions, a table tent that jumps to your menu, a receipt that leads to a review form. The code removes the friction between the real world and your website.
The codes this tool makes are static, which means the link is baked in permanently and cannot be edited once printed. That is perfect for a stable destination like your homepage or profile. If you expect to change where the code points after it is out in the world, you want a dynamic-link service instead.
Error Correction
The four error-correction levels
Error correction is the redundancy that lets a code survive damage. Higher levels recover more of a broken code but pack the pattern denser. These recovery figures are part of the QR standard.
| Level | Recovers up to | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| L (Low) | ~7% | Clean digital use with no logo, where the code will not get damaged or dirty Situational |
| M (Medium) | ~15% | The sensible default for most links. Good balance of density and durability Recommended |
| Q (Quartile) | ~25% | Print that may scuff or curve, or a small center logo Recommended |
| H (High) | ~30% | Anything with a center logo, or codes on packaging and outdoor signage Recommended |
Recovery percentages are defined by the QR code standard (ISO/IEC 18004).
Where to Use It
QR codes by channel
The right size, level, and destination change with where the code lives. Here is how to think about the most common placements.
| Channel | Typical placement | What to get right |
|---|---|---|
| Print (flyers, posters) | Menus, event flyers, magazine ads | Use a high resolution and a wide quiet zone so the code survives being printed and scanned at arm’s length |
| Packaging | Product boxes, labels, inserts | Choose error correction H so a curved surface or a small print flaw still scans |
| Business card | Cards, badges, signatures | Keep the code small but not tiny, and point it at a single clear link like your site or profile |
| Storefront | Window decals, table tents, counters | Go large with strong contrast so people can scan from a step or two away |
| Reviews and feedback | Receipts, takeaway bags, thank-you cards | Send people straight to your review page so leaving feedback is one tap |
Troubleshooting
Why won’t my QR code scan?
Almost every code that fails trips over one of these six. Most come down to size, contrast, and testing, not the code itself.
Printed too small to scan
A QR code needs enough physical size for a camera to resolve its squares. As a rule keep it at least an inch wide in print, larger for signage read from a distance.
Bigger is safer in printLow contrast colors
Scanners need a clear light-versus-dark difference. A pale foreground on a light background, or dark on dark, will not read. Keep the code darker than its background.
Keep strong contrastNo quiet zone
The empty border around a code is not decoration. Cram artwork right up to the edges and scanners lose the frame. Leave a margin of at least four modules.
Leave the border clearLogo too big for the level
A center logo covers data. If it is too large for the error-correction level you chose, the code breaks. Size the logo to about a fifth of the code and use level H.
Match the logo to level HNever tested on real paper
A code that scans on screen can still fail once printed, shrunk, or laminated with glare. Always test the final printed piece with a couple of phones before you run copies.
Test the printed pieceConfusing static with dynamic
This tool makes static codes: the link is baked in and cannot be changed later. If you need to edit the destination after printing, you want a dynamic-link service instead.
Static links are fixedBest Practices
8 tips for a QR code that gets scanned
All CommonNinja widgets mentioned below are free to start. Apply these while you design the code and after people land on your page.
01
Point it at one clear destination
A QR code is a shortcut, not a menu. Send people to a single page that answers why they scanned, then guide them from there. Fewer choices means more follow-through.
02
Keep strong contrast
Dark code on a light background reads fastest. Color is fine for brand, but keep the foreground clearly darker than the background or scans slow down and fail.
03
Leave a generous quiet zone
Do not push text or artwork against the code. That clear border is how a camera finds the edges. A margin of four modules or more keeps scans reliable.
04
Use level H when you add a logo
A center logo covers part of the data. High error correction rebuilds what the logo hides, so the code keeps scanning. Keep the logo to roughly a fifth of the width.
05
Land people on a page that keeps them
Once someone scans and arrives, show them your latest posts so the visit does not dead-end. An embedded feed turns a single scan into an ongoing follow.
Add Instagram Feed free →06
Make the landing page easy to share
People who scan a code are often out in the world, primed to pass it on. Add share buttons so forwarding your page to a friend is a single tap.
Add Share Buttons free →07
Test on more than one phone
Cameras and scanning apps vary. Before you print a batch, scan the final artwork with a couple of different phones in the lighting where it will actually be used.
08
Download the right format
Use PNG for screens and quick sharing, and SVG for print and large signage. SVG is a vector, so it stays razor sharp at any size without pixelation.
Glossary
QR code terms, briefly
Six terms that come up whenever you make or troubleshoot a QR code. Bookmark this if you produce codes for a team.
From the Blog
Further reading on links and marketing
More from the CommonNinja blog. Free, no sign-up, just practical posts on driving traffic and turning it into results.
Creating Effective Landing Pages for Your Website
In this article, we are going to explain how to create effective landing pages.
Read article →How to Reflect Your Brand Identity in Your Website Design
In this article, we are going to explain how to reflect your brand identity in your website design.
Read article →How To Build a Real Estate Website in 2026
In this article, we are going to explain how to create a Real Estate website.
Read article →Effective Website Navigation: A Comprehensive Guide
In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of effective website navigation.
Read article →How To Create a Photography Website in 2026
In this article, we are going to explain how to create a Photography website.
Read article →Using Incentives to Boost Engagement on Your Website
In this article, we are going to discuss incentives, and learn how to use them to boost engagement on your website.
Read article →