The Wi-Fi QR code stores the network name and password, and connects the phone as soon as someone points the camera at it. Use it to give customers, guests and visitors internet access without reading out the password (or spelling “capital X, seven, at sign” three times).
- iPhone (iOS 11 and later) and Android 10 and later connect with the camera, no app needed.
- Supports WPA, WPA2 and WPA3 networks, WEP, or no password.
- On iPhone, a hidden network won't connect through the QR code: keep the network visible.
- Ideally, use the guest network rather than the main network at home or at the office.
What is a Wi-Fi QR code for?
- Restaurant, bar and cafe: on the table, the menu or at the register.
- Inn, hotel and vacation rental: in the room, on the fridge door or in the house manual.
- Doctor's office, salon and gym: at reception, for people waiting.
- Office and coworking space: a guest network for clients and meetings.
- Party, wedding and event: at the entrance or near the dessert table.
- At home: on the fridge, so guests don't ask for the password and you don't have to hunt for the sticker under the router.
How to create the Wi-Fi QR code
- Network name. Type it exactly as it appears in your phone's Wi-Fi list: capitalization, spaces and special characters all count.
- Password. Copy it exactly, letter by letter. A WPA network password has at least 8 characters.
- Security. Choose WPA, WPA2 or WPA3 (the most common), WEP (old router) or No password (open network).
- Customize and check the scan test. Any colors and shapes you like, with dark dots on a light background.
- Download as PNG or SVG. PNG is fine for printing at home; SVG is the format for the print shop.
- Test. Point an iPhone and an Android camera at it, tap the notification that appears and see if the phone joins the network.
Tips for a QR code that works the first time
If the QR code won't connect, check these points, in this order:
- Different network name: “Home_5G” is not “home_5g”. One wrong letter and the phone looks for a network that doesn't exist.
- Wrong password: uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols must be identical to the router's.
- Wrong security type: a WPA network marked as WEP (or the other way around) won't connect.
- Hidden network: on iPhone, connecting through a QR code doesn't work with a network that doesn't appear in the list.
- Older phone: devices older than iOS 11 or Android 10 may need a QR scanner app.
And the basics of any QR code: at least about 0.8 × 0.8 in (2 × 2 cm) when printed, a clear margin around it, and no glare from glass or acrylic right on top of the code.
Safety tip: use the guest network
Whoever has the QR code has the password. A photo of the code can end up in a group chat, and the password goes with it. So for customers and visitors, use the guest network that many routers offer in their settings. It gives internet access without opening a path to your computers, printers and cameras.
Never hang your company's main network QR code in a public place. Here at QR Code Free Forever, the network name and password stay in your browser and don't go through our server; the risk that's left is the printed paper.
See also
- Link QR code for the digital menu, which shares the table with the Wi-Fi one.
Frequently asked questions
If I change the Wi-Fi password, does the QR code keep working?
No. The password is stored in the QR code, so if you change the password, create and print a new QR code.
Can whoever scans the QR code see the password?
Yes. Many scanner apps show the QR code's contents, password included, so treat the code like a password written on a piece of paper.
Which security option should I choose?
Almost always WPA, WPA2 or WPA3, which is what current routers use. WEP only shows up on very old routers, and No password is for an open network.
Does the Wi-Fi QR code need internet to work?
No. The phone reads the network name and password straight from the code and connects, without checking any website.
My router has two networks, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Do I need two QR codes?
If the two networks have different names, yes: create one QR code for each, or pick only the one with the better signal where the QR code will be placed.