Dev Toolbox · Windows 10 and 11
Make a QR code for a link or text
Type a web address or any text and the QR code is drawn as you type. Set its size, error correction and colors, then save it as a PNG for screens or an SVG for print. The code holds your text itself, not a link through someone else's server, so it never expires and nobody counts the scans.
How to make a QR code
- 1
Open the QR code generator
On Octoolo's home screen, type qr into the search box and open QR code generator. It lives in the Make group of the Dev Toolbox.
- 2
Type the link or text
Replace the example in Link or text. The code redraws on every keystroke, so you can scan it from the screen with your phone to check.
- 3
Set size and error correction
Type a Size from 64 to 2048 px. Under Error correction, Medium suits most uses; choose High or Max for codes that may get scuffed, folded or partly covered.
- 4
Pick colors
Click Dots and Background to choose them. Keep the dots dark and the background light.
- 5
Save it
Press Save PNG for a picture, or Save SVG for a vector file that stays sharp at any print size.
Static codes: why yours never expire
A QR code is text drawn as a grid of squares. Octoolo writes your link or text straight into that grid. When a phone scans it, it reads your address and opens it, with no stop on the way.
Many online generators make dynamic codes instead. Their grid holds a short link to the generator's own server, which forwards each scan to your address. That lets the service count scans and change the destination after printing. It also means the code only works for as long as that service, and your account with it, does: if the service closes or the plan lapses, every printed copy points nowhere.
A static code has none of that: no account behind it, no expiry date, no scan log, and no third party seeing who scans it. The trade-off is that it cannot be edited once printed. If the destination might change, point the code at a page on your own site and change that page instead.
Error correction: L, M, Q and H
QR codes carry extra data that lets a scanner rebuild what it cannot read. The four standard levels, which Octoolo calls Low, Medium, High and Max, can restore roughly this share of a damaged code:
| Level | In Octoolo | Restores about | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | Low | 7% | Screens, clean print, the most text |
| M | Medium | 15% | Most uses (the default) |
| Q | High | 25% | Labels, packaging, outdoor print |
| H | Max | 30% | Codes likely to be scratched or partly covered |
More correction costs room. The same text at H needs a bigger grid than at L, so at the same printed size each square gets smaller. For a long text or a small sticker, a lower level can actually scan more reliably.
Size, colors and printing
The grid grows with what you put in it, from 21 by 21 squares for a few characters to 177 by 177 for the most a QR code can hold: 2,953 bytes of text at level L. Short links make simple codes, so trim tracking parameters you do not need.
- PNG or SVG. PNG is a picture of the size you set, up to 2048 px, right for slides, documents and web pages. SVG is drawn from shapes, so a printer can scale it up to poster size without blur.
- Printed size. A common rule of thumb is at least 2 cm (0.8 in) across for scanning at arm's length, and about a tenth of the scanning distance for signs.
- Colors. Scanners look for dark squares on a light background with strong contrast. Brand colors work as long as the dots stay clearly darker; light dots on a dark background fail on some phones. The color converter shows a color's contrast against white.
- White space. Octoolo draws a margin two squares wide around the code. On a busy background, leave more empty space around it when you place it.
Once saved, the PNG drops into a slide in Presentations or onto a flyer with Add image to PDF.
Wi-Fi, phone numbers and other text
This generator has no forms for special codes such as Wi-Fi logins or contact cards. Because it encodes any text exactly, you can still type the formats phones recognize:
- Wi-Fi: WIFI:T:WPA;S:YourNetwork;P:YourPassword;; joins the network from most phone cameras. Use T:nopass for an open network, and put a \ before any ; , : or \ in the name or password.
- Phone call: tel:+15551234567
- Email: mailto:name@example.com?subject=Hello
- Text message: sms:+15551234567
- Plain text, such as a serial number, a short note or a street address, shows as text when scanned.
Keep in mind that a Wi-Fi code carries the password in plain text, readable by anyone who scans it. Making the code in an app on your own PC at least means the password is never typed into a website. For a stronger network password to put in it, use the password generator.
Questions, answered
Do these QR codes expire?
No. The code contains your link or text itself, so it works for as long as the link does. There is no service in between that could switch it off.
Can I track how many people scan my code?
Not with a static code, since nothing sits in between to count. If you want numbers, add a tag such as ?utm_source=poster to the link and read the visits in your own website's analytics.
Can I put a logo in the middle?
Octoolo does not place logos. You can add one afterwards in an image editor; use the Max error correction level and keep the logo small and centered, since it hides part of the code.
What size should I save the PNG at?
For screens and documents, the default 512 px is plenty. For print, use SVG, or a PNG of 1024 to 2048 px so it stays crisp when scaled.
Why won't my QR code scan?
Usually there is too little contrast between dots and background, too little white space around the code, or a long text squeezed into a small print. Try darker dots, a plain margin, a shorter link, or a lower error correction level.
Does it make barcodes too?
Not this tool. The Dev Toolbox has a separate barcode generator for EAN, UPC, ISBN, Code 128 and more.
QR code generator, and 16 more apps.
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