Zutily

Free Online QR Code Generator

Create custom QR codes instantly for URLs, text, email, phone, SMS, and Wi-Fi. Customize colors, size, and error correction — download as PNG or SVG. Free, private, and no sign-up required.

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QR Code Types & Use Cases

URL & Marketing

Link flyers, posters, business cards, and product packaging to websites, landing pages, or social profiles.

Wi-Fi Sharing

Let guests connect instantly by scanning — no typing passwords. Perfect for hotels, restaurants, and offices.

vCard Contact

Share name, phone, email, company, and address as a scannable digital business card that saves directly to contacts.

Email & SMS

Pre-fill email addresses or SMS numbers so users can reach you with a single scan — great for customer support.

WhatsApp

Link directly to a WhatsApp chat with your number. Ideal for businesses using WhatsApp for customer communication.

Location

Encode GPS coordinates (lat,lng) to open a map pin. Useful for event venues, store locations, and meeting points.

How QR Codes Work Under the Hood

A QR code (Quick Response code) encodes data as a matrix of black and white modules arranged in a square grid. Unlike linear barcodes that store data in one dimension, QR codes store information in two dimensions — both horizontally and vertically — allowing them to hold up to 4,296 alphanumeric characters or 7,089 numeric digits in a single code.

The code includes three finder patterns (large squares in corners) for orientation detection, alignment patterns for perspective correction, timing patterns for module-grid calibration, and a format information area that specifies the error correction level and mask pattern. This redundant design is what makes QR codes scannable from any angle, even when partially damaged.

Error Correction Levels Explained

LevelRecovery CapacityCode SizeRecommended For
L (Low)~7% of dataSmallestDigital screens, clean environments
M (Medium)~15% of dataStandardGeneral purpose — best default choice
Q (Quartile)~25% of dataLargerPrinted materials, packaging
H (High)~30% of dataLargestLogo overlays, outdoor signage, harsh conditions

PNG vs SVG: Choosing the Right Export Format

PNG (Raster)

  • Fixed resolution — perfect at its generated size
  • Best for websites, social media, email signatures
  • Universally supported in all browsers and apps

SVG (Vector)

  • Infinite scalability — crisp at any size from thumbnail to billboard
  • Best for print: business cards, posters, merchandise
  • Smaller file size, editable in Illustrator and Figma

Popular QR Code Use Cases

  • Restaurant Menus & Ordering

    Replace physical menus with a QR code linking to a digital menu. Customers scan from their table to browse, order, and pay — reducing wait times and printing costs.

  • Wi-Fi Network Sharing

    Encode your network name, password, and security type into a QR code. Guests scan to connect instantly — no typing long passwords or asking for credentials.

  • Business Cards & Networking

    Add a QR code to your business card linking to your LinkedIn, portfolio, or vCard. Recipients scan instead of manually typing your contact details into their phone.

  • Event Tickets & Check-In

    Generate unique QR codes per attendee for paperless event entry. Scanning validates the ticket instantly, prevents duplication, and speeds up check-in lines.

Want to go deeper?

Read our complete guide on how QR codes work, customization options, and best practices for print & digital — with real-world use cases for marketing, Wi-Fi, and payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions

A QR (Quick Response) code is a two-dimensional barcode that stores information as a pattern of black and white squares. It was invented in 1994 by Denso Wave for tracking automotive parts and has since become ubiquitous for sharing URLs, contact information, Wi-Fi credentials, payment links, and more. Any smartphone camera can scan a QR code instantly.
This generator supports URLs/links, plain text, email addresses (mailto:), phone numbers (tel:), SMS messages (sms:), and Wi-Fi network credentials (WIFI: format). You can encode up to 4,296 characters in a single QR code, though shorter content produces simpler, more easily scannable codes.
Error correction allows a QR code to remain scannable even if part of it is damaged, dirty, or obscured. Level L recovers 7% of data (smallest code), M recovers 15% (recommended default), Q recovers 25%, and H recovers 30% (largest code but most resilient). Choose H if you plan to add a logo overlay or print on materials that may get scratched.
Yes. You can set custom foreground (dark modules) and background colors using the color pickers or by entering HEX values directly. For best scan reliability, maintain high contrast between foreground and background — dark foreground on light background works best. Avoid low-contrast combinations that may confuse QR scanners.
PNG is a raster image format — great for social media, websites, and digital sharing at a fixed resolution. SVG is a vector format that scales to any size without losing quality, making it ideal for print materials like business cards, posters, and banners. Choose SVG when the QR code needs to be resized for different applications.
For digital use (websites, emails, social media), 200-400px is typically sufficient. For print, the minimum recommended size is 2×2 cm (about 0.8×0.8 inches) at 300 DPI. Larger sizes are needed for posters and billboards. Use the SVG format for print to ensure crisp output at any scale.
The quiet zone is the white space surrounding the QR code pattern. It helps scanners distinguish the code from its surroundings. The standard recommends at least 4 modules of quiet zone, but 2 modules is usually sufficient for most use cases. Setting the margin to 0 is not recommended as it may cause scanning issues.
Select the 'Wi-Fi' content type and enter your credentials in the format: T:WPA;S:YourNetworkName;P:YourPassword;; — where T is the security type (WPA, WEP, or nopass), S is the network name (SSID), and P is the password. When someone scans this QR code, their phone will automatically connect to your Wi-Fi.
Yes. All QR code generation happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data — URLs, passwords, Wi-Fi credentials, or any other content — is sent to our servers, stored, or logged. The generated QR code exists only on your device until you save or share it.
Yes, Zutily's QR Code Generator is 100% free with no limits, no watermarks, no sign-up, and no ads. Generate as many QR codes as you need in any size, color, and format — completely free.

Disclaimer

This tool is provided “as is” for informational and utility purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, Zutily makes no warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the output for any specific purpose. All processing is stateless — we do not store, log, or share any data you enter. Use the results at your own discretion. For security-critical applications, always verify outputs independently.

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