QR Code Generator — Create Custom QR Codes Free
Our free QR code generator creates QR codes for URLs, plain text, email addresses, phone numbers, SMS messages, contact cards (vCard), and GPS locations. Customize the size, colors, error correction level, and add your logo. Download as PNG, SVG, or JPEG. No account required, no watermarks.
QR Code Types and Use Cases
| QR Type | Encoded Format | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| URL | https://example.com | Marketing materials, business cards, product packaging, menus |
| Plain Text | Any text string | Event tickets, codes, offline messages |
| mailto:email@example.com | Contact forms, newsletters | |
| Phone | tel:+15550000000 | Business cards, storefronts |
| SMS | sms:+15550000000?body=... | Shortcode campaigns, customer service |
| vCard | BEGIN:VCARD... | Business cards, conference networking |
| Location | geo:lat,lon | Directions to physical locations, event venues |
QR Code Error Correction Levels
| Level | Data Recovery | QR Complexity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| L (Low) | ~7% | Lowest | Clean, undamaged environments; digital display only |
| M (Medium) | ~15% | Low–Medium | General purpose; most common choice |
| Q (Quality) | ~25% | Medium | Slightly dirty or damaged environments |
| H (High) | ~30% | Highest | Logo overlays, harsh environments, outdoor printing, industrial use |
QR Code Best Practices
Size Guidelines for Printing
| Printed Size | Minimum Pixels | Max Scan Distance | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cm (0.4") | 30px | ~7 cm | Product labels (close scanning) |
| 2 cm (0.8") | 60px | ~15 cm | Business cards |
| 3 cm (1.2") | 90px | ~22 cm | Brochures, flyers |
| 5 cm (2") | 150px | ~38 cm | Standard print materials |
| 10 cm (4") | 300px | ~75 cm | Posters, signs |
| 20 cm (8") | 600px | ~150 cm | Banners |
| 40 cm (16") | 1200px | ~300 cm | Large format printing |
| A4 page fill | 2400px | ~750 cm | Maximum display size |
Rule of thumb: scan distance ≈ 10× the QR code size.
QR Code Colors and Contrast
QR code colors must maintain sufficient contrast for reliable scanning. The QR scanner reads the difference between dark modules (the squares) and the light background. Insufficient contrast causes scan failures:
| Color Combination | Contrast Ratio | Scannable? |
|---|---|---|
| Black on white | 21:1 | Yes — optimal |
| Dark blue on white | ~14:1 | Yes — excellent |
| Dark green on white | ~12:1 | Yes — good |
| Dark red on white | ~8:1 | Usually yes |
| Medium gray on white | ~5:1 | Sometimes — risky |
| Light color on white | <3:1 | No — will fail |
| Dark on dark | <3:1 | No — will fail |
| White on white | 1:1 | No — invisible |
Always keep the QR modules (dots) darker than the background. Inverted QR codes (light on dark background) may work but reduce reliability.
Adding a Logo to Your QR Code
Embedding a logo in the center of a QR code is a popular branding technique. Here is how to do it correctly:
- Use error correction level H — The logo covers part of the QR code, so you need the highest damage recovery level (30%) to ensure the code still scans reliably.
- Keep the logo under 30% of area — The logo should not exceed 30% of the total QR code area. A 300px QR code can accommodate a logo up to ~90px × 90px.
- Add white padding — Put a white border around your logo before overlaying it. This separates the logo from the QR modules and improves readability.
- Test thoroughly — Always test your logo QR code with multiple devices and apps before printing or publishing at scale. Low-quality logos or excessive coverage reduce reliability.
- Use PNG or SVG logos — Transparent background logos (PNG) work best as they allow the white padding to show through cleanly without rectangular borders.
vCard QR Code Format
vCard QR codes encode contact information that can be saved directly to a phone's address book when scanned:
| vCard Field | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | FN:Name | FN:John Doe |
| Organization | ORG:Company | ORG:Acme Corp |
| Title | TITLE:Role | TITLE:CEO |
| Phone | TEL;TYPE=CELL:number | TEL;TYPE=CELL:+15550001234 |
| EMAIL:address | EMAIL:john@example.com | |
| URL | URL:website | URL:https://johndoe.com |
| Address | ADR:;;street;city;state;zip;country | ADR:;;123 Main St;New York;NY;10001;USA |
QR code data capacity by version
Higher QR versions pack more modules (squares), which raises capacity but also physical size. Short URLs usually fit in low versions; long Wi‑Fi strings or vCards may need version 10+.
| Version | Max numbers | Max text chars |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (smallest) | 41 | 25 |
| 10 | 652 | 395 |
| 20 | 2,061 | 1,249 |
| 40 (largest) | 7,089 | 4,296 |
Where to use QR codes
| Use case | Encode | Min size |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | Website URL or vCard | 200×200px |
| Restaurant menu | Menu PDF URL | 300×300px |
| Product packaging | Product page URL | 400×400px |
| Event ticket | Check-in URL | 600×600px |
Tips and common mistakes
- Test before printing at scale— scan from the distance your audience will use (arm's length vs poster wall).
- Keep dark-on-light contrast — pastel-on-white and inverted light-on-dark codes fail more often than black on white.
- Use error correction H for logos — center logos need the highest recovery level and should stay under ~30% of code area.
- Static vs dynamic — this tool encodes data directly; marketing teams sometimes use redirect services to change destinations without reprinting.
More Q&A lives in the Frequently Asked Questions section below (matches FAQPage structured data).