How to create a QR code for free (and what to check before printing it)

A well-made QR code saves a lot of friction: instead of reading out a link or typing it in by hand, someone just points their camera at it. But a poorly made one (low-contrast colors, too small, or broken because the link has a typo) creates the opposite effect: someone frustrated who can't get to anything.

How to generate yours

• Type or paste the link or text you want to turn into a QR code.
• Watch the code update live as you type.
• Pick a foreground and background color if you want something other than classic black and white.
• Download as PNG for quick use, or SVG if you need to print it large.

The most common mistake: bad color choices

A QR code needs solid contrast between the foreground and background color for any camera to read it without effort. Combinations like light gray on white, or two similar pastel tones, are the ones that fail to scan most often, especially in low light or printed at low quality.

PNG or SVG: which one to pick

PNG is a fixed-size image, great for sharing quickly on social media or pasting into a digital document. SVG is vector: it can be blown up to poster size or sent to a printer without any pixelation, so it's the right choice if the QR code is headed for something printed large, like a sign or a flyer.

The QR generator is one of several tools for working with images and data without installing anything. The rest is free at Giga Useful Tools.