At a glance
- Format written
WIFI:T:<type>;S:<name>;P:<password>;;, withH:true;for hidden networks- Security types
- WPA/WPA2, WEP, None (open)
- Characters escaped
\;,":- Hidden networks
- Supported, with the
H:trueflag - Text encoding
- UTF-8, so accented names work
- Error correction
- Level M
- Typical size
- 29 × 29 modules for a short name and password
Fields
Network Name (SSID) Required
The name of your network exactly as phones list it. Capitals, spaces and accents all count, so CafeGuest and cafeguest are different networks. The WiFi standard allows up to 32 bytes.
With the name empty, the tool does not make a code and says: Enter the network name first. A code without one will not connect.
A name made only of the characters 0 to 9 and A to F gets this warning: This name uses only the characters 0-9 and A-F, which some scanner apps read as a hex value. Test the printed code on a phone before printing many copies.
Password WPA and WEP
Written into the code as plain text. With None (open) chosen, it is left out even if the field has something in it. A WPA password is 8 to 63 characters under the WiFi standard. A 63 character password took our test code from 29 × 29 to 41 × 41.
Security Type Default WPA/WPA2
- WPA/WPA2 writes
T:WPA. Right for almost every home and office router. - WEP writes
T:WEP, for very old equipment. - None (open) writes
T:nopassand leaves the password out.
Hidden network Optional
Tick only if your router does not broadcast the network name. It adds H:true so the phone looks for a name it cannot see. Joining a hidden network by QR works on some phones and not others, so a visible guest network is more reliable.
What the code contains
One line in the format phone cameras recognise, first described by the ZXing project.
WPA network
WIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:sunflower2026;;
Open network, with a password typed but ignored
WIFI:T:nopass;S:CafeGuest;;
Hidden WPA network
WIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:sunflower2026;H:true;;
Accented name and password
WIFI:T:WPA;S:Café Été;P:pässwörd;;
Special characters
Five characters have a meaning inside the format, so a backslash is put before each one in the name and password. Everything else, spaces and accents included, is written as typed.
| You type | Written as |
|---|---|
\ | \\ |
; | \; |
, | \, |
" | \" |
: | \: |
Name Cafe;Guest, password pa;ss,wo\rd
WIFI:T:WPA;S:Cafe\;Guest;P:pa\;ss\,wo\\rd;;
Name Home:5G, password pass:word"x"
WIFI:T:WPA;S:Home\:5G;P:pass\:word\"x\";;
What it does not do
- Enterprise WiFi. Networks that ask for a username as well as a password (WPA2-EAP) are not supported.
- Quotes around hex looking names. The ZXing format suggests wrapping a name like
ABCD1234in double quotes. The tool warns you instead, because a phone that does not follow that rule may keep the quotes as part of the name and look for the wrong network.
Troubleshooting
The phone cannot find the network
Check the name letter by letter, including capitals, and that the phone is in range. If the network is hidden, tick Hidden network and make the code again.
The phone says the password is wrong
Retype it and check that the security type matches the one set on your router.
The camera does not react
The code is usually too small, too low in contrast or cropped. Print it at the size the badge shows, dark on light, with its white margin.
Our WiFi QR code not working guide goes through more checks.
Privacy
The code is made on your device. Once printed, though, the password can be read by anyone who scans or photographs it, because the format stores it as plain text. Use a guest network for any code on display.
What is inside a WiFi QR code shows this in detail.