How to Make a QR Code in 5 Easy Steps

From edifice menus to bath stall doors, you tin find QR codes conscionable astir anyplace these days. In fact, they've go truthful ever-present that 45% of shoppers utilized marketing-related QR codes successful 2021.

There's nary denying the popularity and convenience of the QR code. But, what precisely is it and however tin you make 1 for your adjacent selling campaign?

Keep speechmaking to larn the magic down QR codes and however to make your own.

QR codes typically look similar this:

Not each QR codification is shaped similar a cleanable square. Sometimes they person unique patterns, colors, and logos displayed inside. You'll find them successful non-digital spaces similar nonstop mail, signage, billboards, and adjacent TV shows wherever you tin scan the codification connected the surface utilizing your phone.

Both barcodes and QR codes tin beryllium scanned utilizing a laser oregon a smartphone arsenic agelong arsenic the instrumentality being utilized has the close capabilities of speechmaking vertical and horizontal data. Although astir smartphones scan QR codes automatically, galore won't scan barcodes truthful easy — you'll request a special app for that.

Does the emergence of QR codes mean accepted barcodes are a happening of the past? Of people not. Traditional barcodes are inactive a communal mode for businesses to place user packaged goods (CPGs) and negociate their merchandise inventory.

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However, determination are respective differences betwixt barcodes and QR codes — some successful their uses and their characteristics. Below are 3 important differences.

QR Codes Are Shaped Differently

Barcodes are typically rectangular, which requires scanning devices to work the barcode's information horizontally. QR codes are often square-shaped, displaying their information vertically and horizontally.

QR Codes Hold Different Data

QR codes are often utilized otherwise than barcodes. Barcodes clasp cardinal merchandise accusation astatine the constituent of sale, specified arsenic the terms and sanction of the manufacturer. QR codes connection much passive and intangible information, specified arsenic determination information and URLs to promotions and merchandise landing pages.

QR Codes Hold More Data

Due to a QR code's quadrate shape, it tin clasp overmuch much information compared to a barcode. QR codes tin clasp hundreds of times much encrypted characters than a barcode can.

We learned a small spot astir however barcodes and QR codes differ, but however precisely bash QR codes work?

Let's accidental a user sees a QR code. They tin instrumentality retired their mobile device, download a escaped QR codification scanning app, oregon simply usage their phone's camera, and scan the QR codification to summation much accusation astir what they saw.

If you wanted to create, say, a autobus halt advertisement promoting your podcast, you could show a QR codification connected that printed advertisement that brings radical close to your iTunes leafage erstwhile they scan it with their phones. Pretty simple, right?

The QR codification instauration process is beauteous straightforward, careless of the instrumentality you're using. Here's however to get started.

How to Create a QR Code connected Any Device

Step 1: Head to qr-code-generator.com.

Using immoderate browser connected immoderate operating system, caput to qr-code-generator.com. Keep successful caput that you don't needfully request to usage this tool; you tin take immoderate web-based QR codification generator. If you request immoderate ideas, check retired our list.

Step 2: Enter your URL.

For astir QR codes, you'll privation to redirect users to a URL. In that case, participate the URL successful the tool. You tin besides take from different contented types, including interaction cards, PDFs, and MP3s. At the bottom, you besides person the enactment of creating QR codes for Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files. The nonstop contented options volition alteration by tool.

After you prime the contented type, a tract oregon signifier volition look wherever you tin participate the accusation that corresponds with your campaign. For instance, if you privation your QR codification to prevention interaction information, you'll spot a acceptable of fields wherever you tin participate your email address, taxable line, and associated message.

Once you participate your URL oregon upload your file, it volition instantly make a QR codification that's acceptable for download. However, we urge customizing it to fortify your marque identity.

Step 3: Customize your QR code's frame, shape, and color.

The amusive portion of creating QR codes is customizing the plan of the codes to acceptable your brand. Want your codification to incorporate your logo? Go for it. Want it to bespeak your website's plan scheme? No problem.

The front-end generator connected qr-code-generator.com offers constricted frame, shape, and colour options that let you to customize your QR code. If you privation much options, we highly promote you to motion up connected the website and edit your QR codification done the tool's creator portal.

Here's 1 illustration of however you tin customize your QR codification erstwhile you sign up for a QR Code Generator account:

Keep successful caput that not each QR codification shaper offers these plan options either earlier oregon aft signing up. Depending connected the QR codification you're looking to generate, you mightiness find immoderate tools constricted successful their functionality.

Step 4: Click "Download" and prevention the record to your computer.

If you're conscionable trying to rapidly make a QR code, don't interest astir signing up. Instead, click the Download button.

Your download volition commencement immediately, but the website volition effort to instrumentality you into signing up. Ignore this connection unless you genuinely privation to motion up. At the top, you'll spot a connection that says your QR codification is getting created and that you shouldn't refresh the window. A pop-up download model volition travel up wrong 2 minutes.

Step 5: Add the QR codification to people collateral.

A QR codification won't beryllium capable to bash its occupation unless radical spot it. So marque definite you adhd the codification to immoderate materials that volition assistance you marketplace your business. This could see displaying it successful people ads, connected clothing, oregon successful carnal locations wherever radical tin instrumentality retired their phones to scan it. Scroll down for much tips connected properly displaying a QR code.

As for however you'll adhd the JPG oregon vector record to people collateral, you tin bash truthful with a assortment of tools, including:

• Canva: Canva is an online plan instrumentality that lets you import JPG files and adhd them to your design. It offers flier and brochure templates for casual creation.
• BeFunky: BeFunky is simply a akin instrumentality to Canva and besides allows you to adhd JPG files to a design. It besides offers templates for you to take from.
• Adobe Illustrator and InDesign: If you're a much precocious user, you tin usage a dedicated graphic plan instrumentality to adhd your QR codification to pamphlets and brochures. Illustrator is simply a bully acceptable for one-page designs; InDesign is simply a amended acceptable for multi-page brochures.

If you're connected a mobile device, bully news: You tin easy make a QR codification that you tin stock with colleagues and prospects on-the-go. You'll request the Google Chrome app to bash so.

How to Create a QR Code connected Android

Creating a QR codification connected an Android instrumentality is elemental with the Chrome app. You tin lone marque QR codes for URLs, but this is simply a useful instrumentality for erstwhile you request to rapidly stock merchandise pages oregon blog posts with someone.

Here are the steps:

• Download the Google Chrome app from the Google Play Store.
• Navigate to the URL you privation to share.
• Click the 3 vertical dots (⋮) connected the apical toolbar.
• Tap Share.
• On the pop-up, prime QR Code.
• Either click Download astatine the bottommost oregon clasp your telephone up for idiosyncratic to scan the code.

How to Create a QR Code connected iOS

Just similar successful Android, you tin easy marque QR Codes connected immoderate iPhone oregon iPad. Here's how:

1. Download the Google Chrome app from the App Store. Note: You can't make QR Codes from the Google hunt app, lone the Chrome app.
2. Navigate to the URL you privation to share.
3. Tap the Share fastener connected the precocious right-hand corner.
4. Select Create QR Code.
5. Either clasp it up for idiosyncratic to scan oregon pat Share. This enactment volition let you to people your QR code, prevention the representation to your camera roll, oregon prevention it to your files.

How to Create a QR Code for Desktop Using Chrome

Creating a QR codification with Chrome connected desktop is conscionable arsenic casual arsenic it is connected Android and iOS. Here's however to bash it:

• Open Chrome connected your desktop.
• Go to the URL you privation to share.
• For Linux, Windows, and Mac machine users, navigate to the right-hand broadside of the code bar, click Share, and prime QR code.
• For Chromebook users, navigate to the code barroom and past QR code.
• Either transcript the QR link, click download to download the QR code, oregon scan the QR codification with a camera connected different device.

How to Use QR Codes (And How Not to)

Now that you spot however elemental the QR codification instauration process tin be, let's speech astir immoderate champion practices that'll summation the likelihood that your QR codification really gets used.

Display your QR codification wherever it's convenient for radical to scan.

Put QR codes successful places wherever scanning them is casual and there's capable clip for the user to scan the code. While you whitethorn often spot QR codes connected billboards and TV commercials, they're not precisely the astir user-friendly locations. It's a information hazard to entice radical to propulsion retired their phones portion driving to scan a code, and a 30-second commercialized mightiness not beryllium capable clip for idiosyncratic to find their telephone and scan the TV.

Instead, deliberation of places wherever consumers person the clip and quality to scan the code. Places with a beardown Wi-Fi transportation volition help, too.

Optimize the QR's destination leafage for mobile devices.

Mobile-optimize the leafage to which you're sending people. Consumers volition beryllium utilizing their phones erstwhile scanning the QR code, truthful they should get astatine a leafage with a affirmative mobile experience.

Include a CTA that prompts radical to scan your QR code.

Offer a call-to-action (CTA) with the codification — that is to say, archer radical what they're expected to bash erstwhile they spot the code, and what they'll person if they scan it. Not everyone knows precisely what a QR codification is, and those that bash won't beryllium motivated to scan it unless they're definite there's thing worthwhile connected the different side.

Don't bounds your QR codification to 1 mobile scanner.

Don't necessitate a peculiar QR codification scanner. Your QR codification should beryllium app-agnostic truthful anyone tin scan your codification with immoderate reader. A little obstruction to introduction makes occurrence much apt for you and the user.

Use your QR codification to marque someone's beingness easier.

Don't usage a QR codification conscionable for the involvement of utilizing one. For instance, it's communal for marketers to think, "How tin I span the offline acquisition with the online experience? Uhhh ... QR code!" That's not wrong, but it's not ever right, either.

If you person contented that makes consciousness to present to a mobile user, and you person an due transmission to bash it (see usage #1 astatine the opening of this section), it's much apt your QR codification volition thrust results.

Earlier, we showed you an illustration of however to make your ain QR code, but you don't person to make it from scratch. A QR codification generator tin velocity up the process (and instrumentality a batch of mathematics retired of it, too.)

There are tons of QR codification generators retired there. The champion ones springiness you galore customizable options for utilizing your QR code, and compatibility with conscionable astir each mobile QR codification scholar apps.

Other things to look for erstwhile choosing a QR codification generator are whether you tin way and analyse show successful real-time and plan a codification that's unsocial to your brand.

Below are immoderate of our favourite QR codification generators that marque customized QR codes speedy and casual to create.

1. Kaywa

Kaywa is simply a simple, no-fuss QR codification generator that creates basal codes for coupons, URLs, and interaction information. Simply participate your information, take whether you privation a dynamic oregon static code, and make it.

Why we similar it:

If you're utilizing your QR codification arsenic portion of a selling campaign, you tin way analytics done Kaywa erstwhile you make an account. That way, you'll person the latest information connected who engaged with your code, wherever they engaged, and when.

2. GOQR.me

GOQR.me is simply a elemental QR codification generator that works champion with abbreviated URLs, but it tin beryllium utilized to store text, geolocation, and lawsuit data. Simply click connected the icon that corresponds to your information and capable successful the fields.

Why we similar it:

You'll get a unrecorded preview of your QR codification successful real-time which speeds things up if you're adding finishing touches to your selling campaign. For an further fee, you tin besides person your logo added to your QR codification by a GOQR.me-affiliated decorator for a customized look.

3. Free QR Code Generator by Shopify

QR codes enactment champion erstwhile you person thing to connection the radical who scan them. And chances are, you're astir apt selling to radical who bargain products online with their phones each day.

Why we similar it:

Shopify makes it casual to make a QR codification successful conscionable 1 click. The champion portion is that you don't person to ain a Shopify store to usage this escaped tool.

4. Visualead

Looking for a one-of-a-kind QR codification that suits your marque to a "T"? Visualead is the instrumentality we urge for the job.

Why we similar it:

Visual QR codes are fashionable and tin make much involvement successful your users than a emblematic achromatic and achromatic codification can. That means you could spot much scans and engagement connected this benignant of QR code.

5. The-qrcode-generator.com

The-qrcode-generator.com features a elemental UI that lets you make a unsocial QR codification successful minutes. Simply adhd your URL oregon the accusation you privation to stock and your QR codification appears instantly.

Why we similar it:

If you're creating respective QR codes astatine once, you mightiness find it worthwhile to download the Google Chrome extension for a faster workflow.

6. QR Stuff

As 1 of the much robust QR codification generators, QR Stuff tin make codes for conscionable astir immoderate benignant of information you privation to stock with the world. YouTube videos, Zoom gathering invitations, and adjacent bitcoin accusation are supported done this tool.

Why we similar it:

In conscionable 3 steps, you'll person a free, customizable QR codification that volition relation decently and look great. Plus, there's nary bounds to the fig of codes you tin create.

7. Qr-code-generator.com

We utilized this QR codification generator successful our how-to usher above, and for bully reason. Qr-code-generator.com is simply a elemental instrumentality that's user-friendly for adjacent the slightest tech-savvy of us. Simply driblet your nexus into the box, and fto the generator bash each the work.

Why we similar it:

QR-code-generator.com is intuitive. It'll automatically observe the benignant of URL you've added and nutrient a QR codification successful seconds.

8. QR Code Monkey

If the mode your QR codification looks is important to you, but you don't privation to wage other for a customized design, effort QR Code Monkey. Once you adhd your URL, you tin alteration the color, adhd a logo, and further customize the pixels successful your codification astatine nary cost.

Why we similar it:

With QR Code Monkey, the plan possibilities are virtually limitless. All you request to make a branded QR codification is simply a originative oculus and a small patience.

QR Code Best Practices

1. Sign up for an relationship connected a QR codification generator website.

One important pitfall to making a QR codification is that you can't edit the information it contains erstwhile you people it. But by signing up for an account, you tin edit this data. This is particularly important if you expect to usage a batch of QR codes successful your selling strategy.

With a escaped rank to QR codification generators similar qr-code-generator.com, you tin people a dynamic QR code, scan it, and propulsion up an editable signifier wherever you tin modify the information your visitors volition person erstwhile they scan the QR codification themselves. You tin besides way show analytics, which we'll screen below, and make a caller customized mentation of your code.

2. Customize your QR code.

QR codes tin beryllium boring to look at, but not if you customize them arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. If you motion up for an relationship connected a QR codification generator website, you tin customize your QR codification further — adjusting the colors, adding a logo, creating societal options, and more.

Keep successful mind, however, that immoderate customizations tin marque it much hard for QR codification scanning apps and smartphone cameras to decently work the code. To screen your bases, it's a bully thought to make 2 versions of your QR codification — 1 plain mentation and different with your preferred design.

Speaking of this...

3. Test the QR codification to marque definite it scans.

Don't hide to cheque to spot if the QR codification reads correctly, and beryllium definite to effort much than 1 QR codification reader. A bully spot to commencement is the escaped instrumentality Google Lens, which takes a representation and past tells you what nexus oregon point it "reads to."

Another large escaped instrumentality is the app QR Code Reader, which automatically takes you to immoderate it "reads." Most smartphones these days see a built-in QR codification reader, truthful you should trial to marque definite your codification is readable there, arsenic well.

4. Track and analyse performance.

Just similar immoderate selling campaign, you should travel up connected immoderate collateral oregon campaigns utilizing QR codes to spot whether they're really working. How overmuch postulation comes from each circumstantial code? Are radical scanning your codification but not redeeming their connection erstwhile they get to the landing page? Or are they not adjacent compelled capable to scan your QR codification successful the archetypal place?

Knowing the answers to these questions volition assistance you troubleshoot and set poorly performing QR codes to much intimately reflector those that enactment well.

I urge you include a UTM tracking codification connected your URL truthful you tin amended measurement performance. This is peculiarly important if you usage closed-loop selling analytics oregon if you execute much in-depth reporting connected your campaigns.

Create Your QR Code Today

Now it's your turn! You've spent capable clip scanning QR codes, wherefore not marque your own? Follow the steps successful this nonfiction and usage 1 of the escaped QR codification generators we've recommended to enactment your business, project, oregon lawsuit retired determination successful the existent world.

Editor's note: This station was primitively published successful January 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.