QR Code Free Forever is a free QR code generator with no sign-up that creates static codes right in your browser: the content is stored in the QR code itself, so it never expires and has no scan limit. You pick one of the 9 types, fill it in, customize it, download it as PNG or SVG, and print it wherever you like, including on commercial materials.
- This site generates static (fixed) QR codes in your browser: they don't expire, have no scan limit, and don't depend on our server to work.
- There are 9 types: link, app store, WhatsApp, contact, Wi-Fi, location, event, email, and phone.
- Colors, shapes, transparent background, scan test, and PNG (200 to 4,000 px) or SVG downloads are all free.
- What you type stays in your browser; the only exception is the app store QR code, which counts scans anonymously.
What is QR Code Free Forever?
It's a QR code generator built for people who need a code that works today and many years from now, no catch. You don't create an account, you don't give your email, and you don't get a file with an expiration date. Open the site, make your QR code, download it, done.
The QR code, short for “Quick Response,” was invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara at the Japanese company Denso Wave to track parts in the auto industry. Denso Wave released it for royalty-free use, and the format became the international standard ISO/IEC 18004. That's why a QR code made here works with any reader that follows the standard.
Why is it free forever?
Because the QR code you create here is static. In a static QR code, the content is stored in the code itself, which is why it never expires. The link, the Wi-Fi password, or your phone number is right there inside those little squares, and the phone reads everything straight from the pattern without asking any server.
The code is also born in your browser: the generator builds the QR code on your own computer or phone. Since the QR code doesn't depend on us to work, there's no subscription to run out and no account to be deactivated. It keeps working even if you never come back to the site.
The “free” generators that stop working use dynamic QR codes: the code points to a link on the provider's server, which redirects to your destination. When the free trial ends, the provider switches off the redirect and your printed QR code stops working. The full comparison is in Static vs. dynamic QR codes: what's the difference.
One exception, to be transparent: the app store QR code goes through our server, because it needs to figure out whether the phone is an iPhone or an Android so it can send each one to the right store. The other eight types are completely static.
Which types of QR codes can I create?
There are 9 types, and each one has its own page with the generator already open on it:
| Type | What the QR code does | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| Link | Opens any address: website, menu, form, social network | Digital menu on the table |
| App store | One QR code: iPhones go to the App Store, Androids to Google Play | Deals app at the store counter |
| Opens a chat with your number, with a ready-made message and emojis | Orders and bookings | |
| Contact | Saves name, mobile number, email, company, job title, website, and address to the contacts app (vCard) | Business card and name badge |
| Wi-Fi | Connects to the network without typing the password | Guest network at the café |
| Location | Opens the address in Google Maps or Waze, ready for directions | Wedding invitation |
| Event | Adds the event to the phone's calendar, with start, end, place, and description | Talk or lecture poster |
| Opens an email that's already addressed, with subject and text | Quote request | |
| Phone | Calls the number with one tap | Sticker for a 24-hour locksmith |
How to create a QR code, from scratch to print
If this is your first QR code, follow this order. It takes just a few minutes, and the last two steps are the ones that save you the most headaches.
- Pick the type. Think about what people should do after scanning: open a website (Link), start a chat (WhatsApp), join the network (Wi-Fi), and so on.
- Fill in the fields. Each type asks only for what's needed. The generator checks what it can, like the country code on a phone number, and shows the finished QR code on screen.
- Customize with contrast. Pick any color by hex code, the shape of the dots and corners, and, if you need it, a transparent background. The golden rule: dark dots on a light background.
- Check the scan test. The site tries to scan its own QR code and warns you if it might fail. If you see the warning, go back a step: more contrast, a simpler shape.
- Choose the size. The PNG comes out from 200 to 4,000 px per side. For printing, use the size table below.
- Download as PNG or SVG. PNG for screens and everyday printing; SVG for print shops, banners, and storefronts.
- Test it with your phone. Point an iPhone camera and an Android camera at the QR code on screen and check that it opens the right destination, with the right details.
- Print it and test again. Scan the QR code on paper, at actual size and from the distance people will scan it. Only then send the full print run.
How do I customize it without hurting scanning?
Phone cameras look for contrast between the dots and the background. Customizing is fine, as long as you don't take that away:
- Colors: dark dots (black, navy, dark green, burgundy) on a light background. Yellow, pale pink, or light gray dots are asking for trouble.
- Inverted QR code: light dots on a dark background work on newer phones but may fail on older readers. If your material is for all kinds of audiences, avoid it.
- Transparent background: great for placing the QR code over artwork, as long as the artwork behind the code is light and plain. Over a photo or texture, scanning suffers.
- Shapes: rounded dots and different corners add personality. If the scan test complains, go back to a simpler shape.
- Margin: every QR code needs a clear margin around it, the “quiet zone,” 4 modules wide (the little squares that make up the code). Don't let text, borders, or drawings touch it.
What size should a QR code be when printed?
The minimum is about 0.8 × 0.8 in (2 × 2 cm). From there up, the rule of thumb is simple: the side of the QR code should be about one tenth of the scanning distance. Scanned from 1 meter (3 ft), about 10 cm (4 in). The last column shows the minimum PNG for print-shop quality printing at 300 dpi.
| Where the QR code goes | Scanning distance | QR code side | Minimum PNG (300 dpi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card, label, small packaging | Up to 20 cm (8 in) | 2 to 2.5 cm (about 1 in) | 300 px |
| Table menu, flyer, invitation | 30 to 50 cm (1 to 1.6 ft) | 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) | 600 px |
| Letter-size (A4) poster on the counter or wall | About 1 m (3 ft) | 10 cm (4 in) | 1,200 px |
| Tabloid-size (A3) poster, shop window, sign | About 2 m (6.5 ft) | 20 cm (8 in) | 2,400 px |
| Banner and storefront | 3 m (10 ft) or more | 30 cm (12 in) or more | 3,600 px or the SVG |
The math behind the last column: pixels = inches × 300 (or centimeters ÷ 2.54 × 300). At 4,000 px, the PNG reaches about 13 in (34 cm) per side at 300 dpi; above that, use the SVG. More examples in what is the right QR code size for printing.
PNG or SVG: which one should I download?
| What matters | PNG | SVG |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An image made of pixels | Vector: a drawing described by shapes |
| Size | From 200 to 4,000 px, your choice | Any size, with no loss of quality |
| Best for | Social media, websites, WhatsApp, documents, and everyday printing | Print shops, banners, storefronts, and design files |
| Opens in | Pretty much any program | Browsers and design programs like Illustrator, Inkscape, CorelDRAW, and Canva |
When in doubt, download both. The PNG covers everyday needs; the SVG is the file the print shop will ask for. And never enlarge a small PNG: it gets blurry, and a blurry QR code scans poorly. If you need a bigger one, download it again at the right size.
Common mistakes that make a QR code fail
- Low contrast: light-colored dots or a background that's too dark.
- Cut-off margin: the QR code was placed against the edge or another element, or the print shop's trim came too close.
- Too small for the scanning distance.
- Stretched or squashed QR code: it has to be square. Always resize while keeping the proportions.
- Small PNG enlarged: it comes out blurry in print.
- Glare and reflections: glossy lamination, acrylic, or glass right in front of the code.
- Wrong content: a temporary link, an old Wi-Fi password, a phone number with one digit swapped. The QR code scans, but it takes people to the wrong place.
- Not testing before printing: this one tends to be expensive, because the mistake comes with the entire print run.
If your QR code is already printed and won't scan, the step-by-step to find the cause is in QR code not working? Causes and how to fix it.
What happens to what you type?
It stays in your browser. The generator builds the QR code on your own device, so the link, the Wi-Fi password, and the contact details are not sent to our server. We don't store what you typed, because it never even reaches us.
The exception is the app store QR code. Since it goes through our server to send each phone to the right store, each scan is counted anonymously: only the system (iPhone, Android, or computer) and the approximate city, with no IP address. And for safety, this type only accepts App Store and Google Play links.
What's coming next?
What's free today stays free. Here's what's on the way:
- Logo in the QR code, with a free account: you sign in with Google and put your logo in the middle of the code. The logo stays only on your device.
- Pro plan: dynamic QR codes (to change the destination after printing), a scan counter with stats (how many, when, city, iPhone or Android), a custom short link, saved “my QR codes,” saved logos and brands, no ads, bulk generation, ready-made pages (digital menu and digital business card), and priority support.
Want to know when Pro opens? Join the Pro plan waitlist.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to create an account to use the generator?
No. You can create and download QR codes without signing up. The free account (just sign in with Google) is only asked for when you want to put your logo in the middle of the QR code.
Can I use the QR codes on commercial materials?
Yes. Commercial use is allowed: packaging, menus, ads, signs, or any product you sell.
Is there a limit on QR codes or scans?
No. Make as many as you like, and each static QR code can be scanned as many times as needed.
Can I change what a QR code says after I download it?
A static QR code can't be changed once it's made: to change the content, create a new one. Changing the destination after printing will be possible with the dynamic QR code in the Pro plan.
Which phones can scan these QR codes?
iPhones scan with the camera since iOS 11, from 2017. On Android, the camera or Google Lens scans them on most recent phones.