QR Code Generator — URL, WiFi, vCard, Email, SMS, Geo

What is a QR Code?

// Build a WiFi payload and generate an SVG QR
import QRCode from 'qrcode';

// 1. WIFI: protocol (de facto, recognized by iOS+Android)
const payload = 'WIFI:T:WPA;S:My\\;Network;P:p@ss\\;word;H:false;;';

// 2. Generate SVG (vector, scales without pixelation)
const svg = await QRCode.toString(payload, {
  type: 'svg',
  errorCorrectionLevel: 'M',
  margin: 4,
  color: { dark: '#000000', light: '#ffffff' },
});

// 3. Drop into the DOM (DOMParser-safe, not innerHTML)
const doc = new DOMParser().parseFromString(svg, 'image/svg+xml');
preview.replaceChildren(doc.documentElement);

Key Features

Examples

https://go-tools.org

SSID: Cafe WiFi / WPA2 / pass: visitor2026

Ada Lovelace / Acme Corp / +1 555 0100 / ada@acme.test

lat: 40.7829, lng: -73.9654 (Central Park)

How to Use

1. 1

   Choose the data type

   Pick the tab that matches what you're encoding: URL for websites, WiFi for network sharing, vCard for contact info, Email or SMS for prefilled messages, Location for map pins, or Plain Text for arbitrary content.

2. 2

   Fill in the fields

   Each tab shows the right fields for that type. WiFi needs SSID, password, and security type. vCard accepts name, phone, email, organization, and website. The QR preview updates as you type.

3. 3

   Customize (optional)

   Open the Customize panel to change error correction level (M is fine for most cases, H for print), output size (200-1024 px), and foreground/background colors. The tool warns you if contrast is too low for reliable scanning.

4. 4

   Download SVG or PNG

   Click Download SVG for vector output (scalable, perfect for print) or pick a PNG size (256/512/1024 px) from the dropdown. Use Copy SVG to paste straight into Figma or your design tool.

Common QR Code Mistakes

QR encodes: https://bit.ly/abc → 404 after subscription lapses

QR encodes: https://your-domain.com/menu directly

FG #cccccc on BG #ffffff (ratio 1.6:1)

FG #003366 on BG #ffffff (ratio 12.6:1)

WIFI:T:WPA;S:Cafe;P:p@ss;word;; (parser breaks at the unescaped ;)

WIFI:T:WPA;S:Cafe;P:p@ss\;word;;

Print poster, ECC=L, partially folded → unreadable

Print poster, ECC=H → readable even with 30% damage

40% logo over center → fails on Samsung phones

15% logo, ECC=H → reliable across phones

?utm_source=...&utm_medium=...&utm_campaign=... (350 chars at M → reject)

Use /go/spring (35 chars) with server-side redirect to the long URL

Common Use Cases

Restaurant menus

Print a URL QR on the table — customers view the menu on their phones. Static QR means it works even if you switch hosting providers or change menu domains.

WiFi for guests

Tape a WiFi QR by the door at home, in cafés, or in conference rooms. Guests scan and join without typing the password — and you never have to read it out loud.

Event check-in

Print a URL QR linking to your registration page on tickets and signage. Shows up on photographer prints, name tags, lanyards — every scan is a tracked check-in.

Business cards

Add a vCard QR to paper cards — scanning saves your contact instantly. Roughly 4× higher save rate than asking the recipient to type your details into their phone.

Location pins for venues

Geo QRs open the default maps app with the pin already set. Use them on real estate listings, restaurant flyers, conference signage, and wedding invitations.

Marketing posters

URL QRs with UTM parameters track print campaign attribution. A static QR survives even if the campaign analytics service shuts down or your account expires.

Product packaging

Encode warranty, manual, or registration URLs on the box. Use error correction H so the QR survives shipping damage, scuffs, and fold-over flaps.

Museum & exhibit labels

Audio guide URLs, deeper context, language alternatives — visitors get rich content from their own phone instead of carrying bulky printed booklets.

Technical Details

ISO/IEC 18004:2015 Compliant

Output follows the international QR Code standard. Versions 1 to 40 (21×21 to 177×177 modules) selected automatically based on content size and chosen error correction level.

Reed-Solomon Error Correction

QR codes use Reed-Solomon coding to recover from damage or occlusion. Levels L/M/Q/H recover roughly 7%, 15%, 25%, and 30% of damaged data. Higher levels mean a larger QR for the same content.

Standard URI Schemes

WIFI: protocol (de facto, recognized by iOS and Android), mailto: (RFC 6068), sms: (RFC 5724), geo: (RFC 5870). Contact cards use vCard 3.0 (RFC 2426) — broader scanner compatibility than vCard 4.0 (RFC 6350). Built-in iOS and Android camera apps recognize all of them.

Auto Encoding Mode

The qrcode library selects the most efficient encoding (numeric, alphanumeric, byte, or kanji) for each input. UTF-8 byte mode handles non-ASCII text including emoji and CJK characters.

Best Practices

Don't crop the quiet zone

QR codes need a 4-module-wide margin of background color around them. This tool includes it by default — don't crop it out when placing the QR in a layout, even if it looks like wasted whitespace.

Use ECC level H for printed QRs

Print is unforgiving — fading, scratches, and fold lines all damage the code. Error correction level H (~30% recovery) saves you. Level M is fine for screens that don't degrade.

Keep contrast ratio at 4.5:1 or higher

QR scanners measure contrast between dark and light modules. Stick to dark foreground on light background. Inverted (light on dark) works on some phones but fails on others.

Test on iOS and Android

iOS Camera reads QR codes by default since iOS 11. Android varies by manufacturer — Samsung, Pixel, and Xiaomi all behave slightly differently. Test both before printing 10,000 flyers.

Use HTTPS and short URLs

Long URLs make the QR denser (smaller modules → harder to scan). If your tracking URL is 200+ characters, run it through a static URL shortener you control — not Bitly, since those expire.

Frequently Asked Questions