How to Make a Custom QR Code for Wi-Fi, Contacts and More

What kinds of QR code can I make?

The tool offers six content types. Each one builds the text inside the code in the standard format phones recognise, so the scanning app knows what action to offer.

Content is limited to 1,200 characters. Longer content makes a denser code that is harder to scan, so the tool asks you to shorten it.

How do I make a Wi-Fi QR code?

Choose Wi-Fi, type the network name exactly as it appears on your router, choose the security type and enter the password. WPA/WPA2 covers most modern home and office networks, WEP is for very old equipment, and No password is for open networks. Tick the hidden network option if your router does not broadcast its name.

Special characters in the name or password, such as semicolons, commas, colons and quotation marks, are escaped automatically in the standard Wi-Fi format, so a password like Cafe;2026 still works. Case matters, so copy the password exactly.

Print the code for guests, put it in a frame by the door, or add it to a welcome sheet for a rental. Anyone who scans it can see and use the password, so only share it where that is acceptable, and consider a separate guest network.

How does a contact QR code work?

The Contact type creates a vCard 3.0 entry, the format address books use to exchange contacts. You need at least a first or last name, and you can add a phone number and an email address. When scanned, most phones show a preview and offer to save the contact.

It suits business cards, name badges at events and the back page of a portfolio. Keep it short: a name, one number and one email make a code that is quick to scan even when printed small.

What about email, phone and SMS codes?

An Email code holds a mailto link with the address and, if you add them, a subject and message body. It is handy for feedback forms on posters, support desks and event registration, because the person only has to press send.

A Phone code holds a tel link. Spaces, brackets and hyphens are removed from the number when the code is built, and a leading plus sign is kept, so international numbers work. Numbers need between 7 and 20 characters.

An SMS code opens a text message to the number you enter, with an optional message already written, which is useful for opt-in keywords or quick replies.

Can I change the colours of a QR code?

Yes. Set the foreground, which is the colour of the dark modules, and the background. The defaults are a deep navy on white. The two colours must be different, and the tool will not generate a code where they match.

Scanners need strong contrast, and most expect a dark pattern on a light background. A dark brand colour on white or a pale tint usually works well. Light codes on dark backgrounds, or two mid-tone colours, often fail on some phones. If unsure, check the pair with the Color Contrast Checker and test with more than one phone.

What size and quiet zone should I choose?

Size sets the width of the downloaded PNG, from 128 to 640 pixels, with 320 as the default. Choose larger sizes for print so the image stays crisp when scaled, and smaller ones for screens.

The quiet zone is the empty border around the code, set from 0 to 8 modules, with 2 as the default. Scanners use it to find where the code starts. If the code will sit on a busy background or near other graphics, increase it. Setting it to 0 is only safe when the design already leaves clear space around the code.

Which error correction level is best?

Error correction adds redundant data so a code can still be read when part of it is dirty, scratched or covered.

Higher levels make the pattern denser for the same content. If a long Wi-Fi or contact code looks crowded, use a lower level or shorten the content.

Can I edit a QR code after printing it?

No. These are static codes: the content is stored in the pattern itself, so there is no account, no tracking and no expiry, but also no way to change what it does later. If the Wi-Fi password changes or a phone number moves, generate a new code and replace the printed one.

For a web address you may want to update later, point the code at a page on your own site that you control, and change that page instead.

How do I test a QR code before printing?

Scan the preview with at least two phones, ideally one iPhone and one Android device, using their built-in camera apps. Check that the action is right: the correct network joins, the contact saves with the right name, or the email opens with the subject you set.

Then print a test copy at the real size and scan it from a normal distance and in the lighting where it will be used. Codes on glossy surfaces or behind glass can reflect light, so test those in place.

How is this different from the basic QR Code Generator?

The basic QR Code Generator is the quickest way to turn text or a link into a code. The Pro version adds the structured types for Wi-Fi, email, phone, SMS and contacts, plus control over colours, quiet zone and error correction. Both build codes in your browser and download a PNG.

How to make a custom QR code

1. Choose a type. Pick Text / URL, Wi-Fi, Email, Phone, SMS or Contact.
2. Fill in the details. Enter the fields for that type. Required fields are checked before the code is made.
3. Adjust the design. Set foreground and background colours, size, quiet zone and error correction.
4. Generate and download. Check the preview, scan it with a phone, then download qr-code.png.

Example

Tips and limitations

FAQ

What can QR Code Generator Pro encode?

Text or URLs, Wi-Fi logins, email, phone numbers, SMS messages and vCard contacts.

Do Wi-Fi QR codes work with hidden networks?

Yes. Tick the hidden network option so phones know to look for a network that does not broadcast its name.

Is my Wi-Fi password sent anywhere?

No. The code is built in your browser and the fields are not stored or sent to a server.

Which vCard version does the contact code use?

vCard 3.0, with name, and optionally one phone number and one email address.

Why will the tool not use my two colours?

The foreground and background must be different colours. Choose a dark pattern on a light background for best results.

What is the quiet zone?

The blank border around the code, from 0 to 8 modules. Scanners use it to find the code's edges.

Which error correction level should I use?

M suits most uses. Choose Q or H for printed codes that may get scuffed, and L for maximum content on clean screens.

How large can the downloaded image be?

The PNG can be from 128 to 640 pixels wide.

Do these QR codes expire?

No. They are static codes with the content stored in the pattern, so they work as long as the content is valid.

Can I track scans of the code?

No. Static codes have no tracking. Use a link with campaign parameters if you need analytics on a web page.

How dark should the foreground be on colored codes?

Keep strong contrast with the background; pale-on-pale codes fail outdoor scans.

Can I put a logo over the center modules?

Yes with higher error correction and a modest logo that leaves most modules readable.

Should Wi-Fi codes include the network type?

Yes—WPA/WPA2 vs nopass must match or phones will not join.

Do MECARD and vCard both store phone numbers?

Both can; vCard is richer for multiple fields when contacts apps support it.

What canvas size is safe for stickers?

Export large, then scale down in print software so modules stay sharp.

Can dynamic short links sit inside a static QR?

The QR can point at a short URL you control; retarget the short link without reprinting.

Why reject low-contrast brand colors?

Scanners need luminance difference; tweak until the preview warning clears.

Is round-module styling always scannable?

Heavy styling can break finders—test on iOS and Android before a big print run.

How much quiet zone is enough?

Leave a clear margin of roughly four modules so edges are not crowded.

Can one Pro code hold a calendar event?

If event text or a URL is supported in the payload list, encode that; otherwise link to an ICS file.

Sources and further reading

• About QR codes (DENSO WAVE)