Code Studio / 01
Create a QR code for a link, message, Wi-Fi network, or contact. Customize the design and download a scannable image.
Content type
Encode an absolute website address. Scanning a URL code does not send visitors through greneshadees.com and does not track scans.
https://example.com is an editable example. The preview is generated from this value until you change it.
This entry looks like a host name without http:// or https://.
Encode plain text, including English characters, numbers, punctuation, spaces, line breaks, and Unicode. Line breaks are preserved. Content is not truncated silently.
Build a mailto URI. Compatible devices may open an email application. Scanning does not send an email from this website, and empty subject or body fields are allowed.
Compatible devices may offer to open the phone dialer after scanning. Scanning does not automatically place a call. Country codes are not assumed.
SMS URI support varies by operating system and scanning application. This website does not send messages, and scanning does not automatically send an SMS.
Wi-Fi QR codes store network credentials in readable form. Anyone who scans or decodes the code may be able to read those details. QR encoding is not encryption and does not protect the password.
Creates a vCard 3.0 payload. Contact import behavior depends on the scanning device and application. Optional empty fields are omitted.
Sufficient contrast improves scan reliability. A particular contrast ratio does not guarantee scanning. Avoid light-on-light combinations, transparent backgrounds, busy photographs behind the code, and untested inverted colors.
The selected export size includes the quiet zone. Modules are drawn with integer pixel sizes. If the chosen pixel count is not a multiple of the matrix plus quiet zone, leftover pixels become extra background padding so module edges stay sharp.
The quiet zone is a light margin of at least four modules. It cannot be removed. Preview, PNG, SVG, and print output all keep it.
Higher levels recover from more damage or obstruction, but they reduce payload capacity or enlarge the matrix. A higher level does not guarantee a successful scan, and a damaged code is not always readable.
Selected level: M · — · —
Printer scaling can change the final size. Use actual-size or 100% scaling when the dialog offers it. Results vary by printer, paper, and device camera. A QR code will not scan from every distance.
Enter valid content to generate a QR code.
Zoom changes only the on-screen preview. It does not change encoded content, QR version, export size, error correction, or the quiet zone.
Encoded content
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Character count (UTF-8 bytes): 0
Printing
These notes improve the odds of a clean scan. They do not promise universal compatibility with every camera or application.
01
Dark modules on a light, even field are easier for cameras to separate.
Example: A charcoal code on cream card stock in even indoor light.
Common mistake: Printing navy ink on dark recycled board.
Corrective action: Choose a light background and confirm the pair still looks distinct in the intended lighting.
02
Scanners use the empty margin to find the code boundary.
Example: A 1024-pixel PNG that still shows four light modules around the matrix.
Common mistake: Cropping the PNG until the finder squares touch the artwork edge.
Corrective action: Keep the default quiet zone in preview, export, and print.
03
Tiny modules blend together on office printers and phone cameras.
Example: A 70 mm card for a handout, tested at arm’s length.
Common mistake: A 12 mm mark on a crowded flyer.
Corrective action: Print at a size you can still see as a grid, then scan a proof.
04
A live scan is the only practical check for that printer, paper, and payload.
Example: Scan a proof copy with more than one phone.
Common mistake: Sending a file that was never opened on a device.
Corrective action: Generate, print a single proof, and scan it before a large run.
05
Warped bottles, deep folds, and glossy curves distort module geometry.
Example: A flat card placed on a table.
Common mistake: Wrapping the code around a narrow cylinder without testing.
Corrective action: Place the code on a flat panel or test the curved surface first.
06
Logos, rounded dots, and photo backgrounds can destroy finder patterns.
Example: A plain high-contrast square with an intact quiet zone.
Common mistake: Dropping a logo into the center without checking version and error correction.
Corrective action: Leave the matrix unmodified. Add labels outside the quiet zone.
07
Medium is a practical default. Higher levels cost capacity.
Example: Level M for a short URL on a clean label.
Common mistake: Level L on a code that will be taped, folded, or partly covered.
Corrective action: Raise the level if the print may scuff, or shorten the payload instead.
08
Shorter payloads produce smaller versions with larger modules at the same print size.
Example: https://example.com/map instead of a paragraph of directions.
Common mistake: Pasting a full formatted letter into a text QR code.
Corrective action: Link to a page, or cut optional vCard fields you do not need.
Print QR Code prepares a sheet with the live matrix, quiet zone, optional caption, and intended size. Navigation and settings are hidden in print CSS. Use 100% or actual-size scaling when the dialog provides it. Printers still differ, so a proof scan is the real check.
Continue with How to print a QR code that scans reliably.