QR code for a website or link

A URL QR code stores a web address. When someone points a phone camera at it, the phone offers to open the page. It's the most common kind of QR code, and people search for it as a QR code for a website, a link QR code or a website QR code generator.

If your link doesn't start with http, the generator adds https://. If you enter an http:// address, you'll see a warning: many browsers label unencrypted pages as "Not secure," which can scare visitors off.

The code is static: no redirect, no account, no expiration. Everything happens in your browser; the link isn't uploaded anywhere.

A static code can't be edited after printing, so the link you choose matters more than the design.

Pro tip: create a short path on your own website, such as /qr or /flyer, and set up a redirect to the real page. The printed code always points to the same address, but you decide where it ends up, and your own analytics count the visits.

Static codes don't count scans. To see how many visitors came from a poster or flyer, add UTM parameters to the link, and your analytics tool will report them as a separate source:

https://example.com/offer?utm_source=flyer&utm_medium=qr&utm_campaign=spring

• utm_source: where the code was printed (flyer, poster, package)
• utm_medium: the channel, simply qr
• utm_campaign: the campaign name

Give each placement its own utm_source to compare them. Every character makes the code denser, though; if the link gets long, put the UTM tags in your redirect instead.

Need a different link for every product or location? The bulk QR code generator builds all of them from one spreadsheet.

You get the same design studio as the main QR code generator: 12 templates, module and corner shapes, gradients, a logo in the middle and a frame with a label such as "SCAN ME" or "See the menu."

• Add a call to action. Tell people what they'll get: "Full price list," "Register here."
• Logo: error correction is raised automatically. A short URL keeps the code open enough for a logo.
• Size: at least one tenth of the scanning distance and never under 0.8 in (2 cm). Enter the distance and the tool does the math.
• Format: PDF or SVG for print, PNG for web pages and slides.
• Backup: print the short address next to the code for anyone whose camera won't cooperate.

The live scan test reads back the rendered code with two independent decoders and tells you if anything doesn't match.

1. A typo in the URL. Copy the address from your browser bar instead of typing it.
2. A page that needs a login, such as an editor or admin view.
3. A landing page that isn't mobile-friendly. Everyone who scans is on a phone.
4. Sharing a file that isn't public. See the PDF QR code page for share settings.
5. Skipping the test. Scan the printed proof with two phones, on cellular data too.