Are these QR code generators free to use?
Yes. Every tool on QRotto is completely free, with no signup, no watermark, and no usage limits.
Do the QR codes expire?
No. The data is embedded directly into the QR code image itself rather than pointing to a redirect link, so the codes work indefinitely and do not expire.
Is my data safe when I generate a QR code here?
Yes. All QR codes are generated locally in your browser. Nothing you type, including WiFi passwords or contact details, is sent to a server or stored anywhere.
Can I use these QR codes for print materials?
Yes. Download the PNG and use it on business cards, posters, flyers, or packaging. For large prints, avoid shrinking the code below about 2cm per side to keep it reliably scannable.
Why isn't my QR code scanning?
This is usually caused by low print contrast (light gray on white, for example), the code being printed too small, or too much text encoded into a text QR code, which increases pattern density and makes it harder to read. Try increasing the print size or shortening the input text.
Do I need an app to scan these QR codes?
No. Modern iOS and Android phones can scan QR codes directly from the built in camera app without installing anything extra.
Can I edit a QR code after generating it?
Not directly, QR codes encode fixed data. If you need to change the content (like a new WiFi password), simply generate a new code with the updated details and replace the old one.
Which QR code type should I use?
Pick by what you want to happen after the scan, not by what you are encoding:
- Open a web page: use the URL generator.
- Save contact details: use the vCard generator.
- Join a WiFi network: use the WiFi generator.
- Show a short message offline: use the text generator.
- Start an email: use the email generator.
- Start a text message: use the SMS generator.
How big should I print a QR code?
The working rule is that a code should be at least one tenth as wide as the distance it will be scanned from. A business card read at 25cm needs about 2.5cm; a poster read from a metre needs about 10cm. Never print below roughly 2cm per side. Our print sizing guide has a full table by placement.
Why does my code scan on one phone but not another?
Usually one of three things: the code is dense because it holds a lot of data, the print is small or low contrast, or QR scanning is switched off in the camera settings (on iPhone, Settings → Camera → Scan QR Codes). Older devices also struggle more with dense patterns, so shortening the encoded data helps.
What is the difference between static and dynamic codes?
Static codes hold the data inside the image, nothing can switch them off, and they never expire. Dynamic codes hold a short link that redirects through a provider's server, which lets you change the destination and count scans, but means every printed code stops working if that service lapses. Everything on this site is static. The tradeoffs are covered in our static versus dynamic guide.
Are QR codes dangerous?
The code itself cannot harm you, it is a picture of data and cannot install anything. The risk sits entirely in where it sends you, and the defence is to read the URL preview your camera shows before tapping it. Be especially careful with codes on unattended public surfaces that ask for payment. We cover this properly in are QR codes safe.
Can I use these codes commercially?
Yes. Codes you generate here are yours to use for any purpose, including commercial use, with no attribution required, no watermark and no usage limits.
Why does my WiFi code connect but show no internet?
That means the code worked, the phone joined the network. The problem is on the network side, usually a captive portal waiting for sign in, or the internet connection itself being down. A QR code cannot bypass a captive portal.
Do you store what I type into the generators?
No. Every code is built in your browser using JavaScript. Contact details, WiFi passwords and messages never reach a server, are never logged and are discarded when you close the page. See our privacy policy for the full detail.
Can I put a logo in the middle of the code?
Technically yes, because QR codes carry error correction that can recover covered modules. Practically it costs reliability: the logo should stay under about 20% of the code area, sit centrally, and the code should be printed larger than it otherwise would be. For a code that must work first time in poor light, a guest arriving at night, a customer in a dim restaurant, plain is measurably more reliable.
Why is there a white border around the code?
That is the quiet zone, and it is part of the specification rather than decoration. Scanners use it to find where the code begins. The standard calls for a margin of four modules on every side. Designers frequently crop it away to fit a layout, and that single change can stop a code being detected at all.
Can I track how many people scan my code?
Not with a static code, because no server is involved, there is nothing in the path to count. You have two options. Point the code at a dedicated page on your own site and read your normal analytics, or add a campaign parameter to the URL so the visits are distinguishable. Both give you the useful part of scan tracking without depending on a paid service.
What happens if I change my WiFi password?
Any printed code stops working, because the password is encoded inside the image rather than looked up at scan time. Generate a replacement and swap the card. This is a good reason not to laminate rigidly if you rotate passwords, a frame or card holder you can slide a new print into saves reprinting the whole thing.
Can someone read my WiFi password from the code?
Yes. A WiFi QR code contains the password in plain text, so anyone who photographs it can extract it. That is fine inside a home or a private guest room, but think carefully before putting one in a street facing window. For businesses, the right answer is a separate guest network so the code never exposes the network your till and back office devices sit on.
Do I need to credit QRotto?
No. There is no attribution requirement, no watermark on generated codes, and no restriction on commercial use.
Which phones can scan these codes?
Every iPhone running a reasonably current version of iOS and essentially all modern Android phones read QR codes from the built in camera app. On Android, Google Lens provides a reliable fallback if the stock camera does not react. No third party scanner app is needed on either platform.
Can I edit a code after generating it?
No. The data is fixed inside the image. If details change, generate a new code and replace the old one. It is worth confirming everything is correct before ordering a large print run, scan the finished code yourself first.
Still have a question?
Visit our About page to learn more about how QRotto works, or check out the full list of tools on our Services page.