At a glance
- Format written
- Your text exactly, trimmed at both ends
- Text encoding
- UTF-8
- Error correction
- Level M
- Most it can hold
- 2,331 bytes at level M, in the largest code
Fields
Your Text Required
Any text, including line breaks. Spaces at the very start and end are removed.
What the code contains
A short note
Table 4, ask for the WiFi password
Accents and symbols
Café crème, 3 €
An empty box still makes a codeWith nothing typed, the tool encodes a single space. Check the field before you download.
Length and size
Every character adds to the grid. A short note fits a simple code; a long paragraph makes a very dense one that needs printing much larger. Watch the badge under the code, and see our text QR code guide for measured sizes.
What it does not do
- Text in a code is not a link. Phones show it; most will not act on it.
- It has no formatting: no bold, no colours, no images.
- Text cannot be changed after printing. For anything that may change, link to a page instead.
Common mistakes
Putting a web address in a text code
A text code holds the words exactly, with nothing added. Typed as example.com/menu, the code contains example.com/menu with no https://. A phone may show it as plain words rather than a link. Use the URL generator for links.
Writing a whole page of text
A 500 character note made a 85 × 85 grid that needs printing at least 37.2 mm (1.5 in) wide, and reading a long block on a phone after scanning is not pleasant. Keep text codes to a few lines.
Printing without checking the box
An empty box makes a code with a single space in it, which looks fine on paper and shows nothing when scanned. Scan your printed copy before you print more.
Questions
Do text codes need the internet?
No. The text is inside the code, so the phone shows it with no connection. That makes them good for places with no signal.
Can I use other languages?
Yes. Text is written as UTF-8, so accents, Arabic, Urdu and other scripts work. Each such character takes more space than a plain letter, so the code grows faster.
Can a text code be edited after printing?
No. Nothing is stored online, so there is nothing to edit. Print a new code.