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Free QR code generator

Text QR Code Generator (Free)

This free text QR code generator stores a short piece of plain text in a QR code, so anyone who scans it sees the text on their phone, with no internet connection, sign-up or expiry date needed.

  • No sign-up
  • Never expires
  • No watermark
  • Made in your browser

Create your text QR code

Text

Scanning shows this text on the phone screen. Up to about 300 characters keeps the code easy to scan.

Your QR code appears here as you fill in the form.

Test it with your phone camera before you print or share it: point the camera at the preview and check it does what you expect.

Colors, logo and size
Style
Error correction

How much of the code can be dirty, scratched or covered and still scan. Higher levels add more squares, so the code gets denser. Medium suits most uses; choose High for a logo or rough surfaces.

The blank border scanners need around the code. It never goes below 4 modules (the code’s small squares), as the QR standard asks.

Sharp up to 17 cm (6.8 in) at 300 dpi. SVG scales to any size.

Logo in the center (optional)

PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF or SVG. It stays in your browser and is never uploaded.

How to make a text QR code

  1. Type your text

    Type or paste the text. A sentence or two works best.

  2. Check the preview

    The code updates as you type, and gets denser as the text gets longer.

  3. Style it (optional)

    Pick colors, a module style or a logo.

  4. Download it

    Download a PNG or an SVG.

  5. Test it

    Scan it with your phone camera and check the whole text shows correctly.

What a text QR code contains

A text QR code holds your words directly, encoded as UTF-8, so accented letters and emoji are stored correctly. Nothing is looked up online: the phone shows the text from the code itself.

Locker 14 · Code 2580 · Return the key to reception

The largest QR code holds up to 2,953 bytes, but every character adds modules. Under about 300 characters keeps the code quick to scan, even printed small.

Tips for printing and scanning

For text QR codes

  • Keep it short. Long text makes a dense code that needs printing large.
  • Text codes work offline, so they suit places with no signal: basements, trails, ships.
  • Anyone who scans the code can read the text, so don’t use it for anything private on a public sign.

For any printed QR code

  • Size: print the code at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide for something held in the hand. For signs and posters, make it about a tenth of the scanning distance: roughly 10 cm (4 in) wide to scan from 1 m (3 ft).
  • Contrast: use a dark code on a light background. Light-on-dark codes and pale brand colors fail on some phones.
  • Quiet zone: keep a blank border of at least 4 modules (the code’s small squares) around it. Don’t crop it or put text and graphics right up against the code.
  • File type: use the SVG for print, since it stays sharp at any size. The 2048 px PNG is enough for print up to about 17 cm (6.8 in) wide at 300 dpi.
  • Surface: avoid glare from glossy laminate, tight curves (bottles, cups) and folds that cut through the code.
  • Test: scan a printed proof with an iPhone and an Android phone, at the real distance and in the real lighting, before you print in bulk.

When to use a dynamic code instead

Text in a static code can’t be edited after printing. If the message will change (opening hours, a daily code, a schedule), put it on a web page and use a dynamic code: you update the page or the code’s destination and the printed code stays the same. Dynamic codes also count scans.

The code you make on this page is static: free, permanent and private, but fixed once printed. Static and dynamic codes compared.

Make a dynamic code

Text QR code questions

Do text QR codes need the internet?

No. The text is stored in the code, so a phone shows it even with no signal or data connection.

How much text can a QR code hold?

Up to 2,953 bytes in the largest QR code at the lowest error correction: roughly 2,900 plain English characters, and fewer with accents or emoji, which take more bytes each. In practice keep it under about 300 characters, so the code stays simple and scans quickly.

What happens when someone scans a text QR code?

Their phone shows the text. Many camera apps show a short preview with options to copy or search it, and long text can be cut off in that preview, so keep it brief. Scanner apps show the full text.

Can I use emoji and accented letters?

Yes. The text is stored as UTF-8, which modern phones read correctly. Each emoji or accented letter takes more room than a plain letter, so the code gets denser.

Do text QR codes expire?

No. The text is in the code itself, so it works forever. To change the text, make a new code.

Can I see how many people scanned it?

No. A text code is read entirely on the phone and never contacts a server. If you need scan counts, use a dynamic code that opens a web page.

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