Free QR code generator that never expires
Create a QR code for any link with a free QR code generator that never expires. The code is static: the address is stored inside the pattern itself, nothing routes through a server, and there is no expiration date. This QR code maker needs no sign up, runs entirely in your browser, and verifies every code with a real scanner before you download it.
Content: URL
The full address of the page. https:// is added if you leave it out.
Style
PNG, JPG or SVG up to 2 MB. It stays on your device.
Your codes on this device
Off by default. When on, each downloaded code (type, content, style) is saved in this browser only, never uploaded. You can delete them at any time.
How to make a QR code for a link
- Paste the page you want people to land on into Website address. The generator adds https:// if you leave it out and trims stray spaces.
- Press Test link to open the address in a new tab and confirm it loads before you commit it to print.
- Optionally open the Style panel: pick a Style preset, set Foreground colour and Background colour, or Upload logo.
- Leave Error correction on Auto for a plain link, and choose a Size in pixels for the PNG; SVG and PDF scale to any size.
- Wait for the badge to read Verified: scans as URL, then choose Download PNG, Download SVG or Download PDF.
QR code generator details: what a URL code contains
A link QR code is the simplest kind there is: the pattern holds the web address as plain text and nothing else. When a phone camera reads https://example.com/menu it recognises the https:// prefix, shows a banner with the host name (example.com), and opens the page when the person taps it. No server sits between the print and the website, which is why a static link code cannot expire, and why the address has to be right before you print.
What this QR code generator does with your link
The Website address field is tidied, not rewritten. Leading and trailing spaces are trimmed, and if you paste example.com/menu without a scheme the generator adds https:// so phones treat it as a link rather than as text. It warns about two things it will not change for you: a space inside the address, which most scanners refuse to open, and an http:// prefix, which browsers increasingly flag as insecure. Show encoded text reveals the exact string the code contains.
Length and print size
Every character adds modules. An address of about 30 characters, such as https://example.com/our-menu, fits in version 3 (29 × 29 modules) at error correction M; a 20-character one fits in version 2 (25 × 25). A long address with tracking parameters can pass 100 characters and version 6 (41 × 41), which must be printed larger to scan from the same distance. The capacity line under the preview shows the module count as you type; a short path on your own domain prints best.
Common mistakes
- A typo in the link. Verification checks that the code decodes to what you typed, not that the page exists. Use Test link before you print.
- Linking to a page that will move. Blog posts get renamed and PDFs get replaced. Link to a page you control and keep that address stable, or the printed code becomes a dead end.
- http instead of https. Use the https address if the site has one; phones warn on the rest.
- Link shorteners. A shortened link is a redirect run by someone else; if that service retires the link or shuts down, the code stops working even though the code itself is fine. That is exactly how a dynamic QR code works, with the same risk. Put your real address in the code.
Before printing, check the downloaded file with the QR code reader, which shows the host the same way a phone does, and read the size guide if the code will be scanned from beyond arm’s length.
This code never expires
The address is stored inside the code itself, so the code keeps working for as long as the page it points to exists. This is a static QR code: the data is written into the pattern, so scanning it needs no server, no account and no subscription. There is nothing to renew and no redirect that can be switched off, which is why a code made here keeps working for as long as the printed copy exists. The trade-off is honest: a static code cannot be edited after printing and does not count scans. If you need either, encode a link to a page you control. Read how static and dynamic codes differ, and if a code you already have has stopped working, see why QR codes expire.
Styling, formats and print size
Every code can be styled in the Style panel: six dot shapes, corner shapes, solid or gradient colours, a transparent background, a quiet zone of 0–8 modules, and your own logo up to 30 percent of the width. A contrast checker warns below 3:1 and blocks downloads below 1.5:1, and after each change the preview is decoded again so the badge tells you whether the styled code still scans.
| Output | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Web, documents, quick prints | 256 to 4096 px; transparent background supported |
| SVG | Designers and print shops | Vector, scales without limit; logo embedded |
| Printing at an exact size | Vector modules at a chosen width in mm or inches, optional caption | |
| JPG | Platforms that reject PNG | White background; no transparency |
| EPS | Legacy print workflows | Vector from the module matrix, no logo |
| Copy / Print | Pasting into a document; a quick paper test | PNG to the clipboard; print view with caption |
Print size: as a rule of thumb the code should be at least one tenth of the scanning distance wide, with the quiet zone included.
| Scan distance | Minimum width |
|---|---|
| 0.5 m (arm's length) | 5 cm |
| 1 m | 10 cm |
| 2 m | 20 cm |
| 5 m | 50 cm |
A link code with a 30-character address is 29 modules wide and prints cleanly at 2 cm on a business card or 3–5 cm on a menu; for a poster scanned from 2 m, go to 20 cm and download the SVG or PDF.
The QR code size guide has a calculator for module size, DPI and distance.
Frequently asked questions
Is this QR code generator really free, and will the codes keep working?
Yes. There is no account, no trial and no paid tier that unlocks downloads. The codes are static, meaning the link is encoded directly into the pattern, so they do not depend on this site being online. If this site disappeared tomorrow, every code made here would still scan.
Does a QR code for a link expire?
A static link code does not. It contains the address as text and phones open it directly. It stops working only if the page it points to is removed or moved, or if you linked through a URL shortener that later retired the link. Keep the address stable and the code is good indefinitely.
Can I change the link after I have printed the code?
No. The address is part of the pattern, so changing it changes the code. If you expect the destination to change, link to a page on a domain you control and update what that page shows; the printed code keeps pointing at the same address.
Do I need to include https:// in the address?
You can leave it out; the generator adds https:// when the field has no scheme, because phones only treat the text as a link when it starts with http:// or https://. If your site only works over plain http, keep it, but expect a warning: browsers increasingly show an insecure-page notice for http links.
Why is my QR code so dense?
Density is length. Every extra character adds data modules, and tracking parameters such as utm_source often double the length of a link. Remove anything the page does not need, use a short path on your own domain, and check the capacity line under the preview: version 2 to 4 is comfortable for print.
Will the code work with a logo and my brand colours?
Yes. Open the Style panel to upload a logo and choose colours or a preset. A logo raises error correction to H so the code still reads with up to 30 percent covered, and the contrast checker warns if your colours are too close. The verification badge confirms the styled version still scans.
Does the generator track scans?
No. A static code contains only your address; there is no redirect and no counter. To tell which print a visit came from, add a short parameter your own analytics can see, such as ?src=poster; that stays on your domain with no third party in between.
Which file format should I download?
PNG for websites, slides and quick printing; SVG when a designer or print shop needs vector artwork that scales without blurring; PDF when you want a page at an exact physical size in millimetres with an optional caption. JPG is for tools that accept nothing else.
Related
Last updated . QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED. Open-source engines are listed on the how it works page.