What a QR code can hold

A QR code is a printable way to hand a phone some text: a web address, plain text, contact details or Wi-Fi login. A static code, like the ones Serpgy creates, stores the data directly inside the pattern, so it works forever and needs no account.

Create a QR code step by step

  1. Open the QR Code Generator and choose what to encode: a link, text or Wi-Fi details.
  2. Enter the content exactly. For links, include https:// so phones treat it as a web address.
  3. Choose colours. Keep a dark code on a light background.
  4. Generate the code and download the PNG.
  5. Scan it with at least two different phones before printing or publishing.

Make it scan reliably

  • Contrast: dark modules on a light background scan best. Avoid light-on-dark or low-contrast colour pairs.
  • Quiet zone: leave a clear margin of about four modules around the code. Never crop it tight.
  • Size: as a rule of thumb, the code should be roughly one tenth of the scanning distance. A code scanned from 1 metre should be about 10 cm wide.
  • Content length: shorter content makes a simpler, easier-to-scan code. Use a short URL path where possible.
  • Error correction: higher levels (M, Q, H recover about 15, 25 and 30 percent damage) allow logos or wear but make the code denser.

Wi-Fi QR codes

A Wi-Fi code contains the network name, password and security type, so guests can join by scanning. Because the password is stored in the code, only display it where you are happy for viewers to have access.

Common mistakes

  • Printing a code for a temporary link that later expires.
  • Using a link shortener you do not control, which can break or change.
  • Placing a code on glossy, curved or reflective surfaces.
  • Forgetting to test after resizing the image.