How to Make a QR Code for WiFi

A Wi-Fi QR code is not a picture of your password. It is a QR symbol containing text in the WIFI scheme. A typical payload follows this shape: WIFI:T:WPA;S:Guest Network;P:example-password;H:false;;.

The T field describes the security type, S contains the network name or SSID, P contains the password, and H states whether the network is hidden. The final separators mark the end of the data. Special characters in field values must be escaped by the generator so scanners do not mistake them for syntax.

When a compatible camera or QR scanner recognizes the payload, it can show a join-network action. Behavior varies by phone, operating system, and policy settings, which is why testing with real devices matters.

Copy the SSID exactly, including capitalization and spaces. The visible name is not always enough if several access points use similar labels, so verify it in the device’s saved network details or router settings. A misspelled SSID produces a valid QR code for a network that does not exist.

Choose WPA/WPA2 for a network using that security family, WEP only for an older network actually configured for WEP, or None for an open network. The tool presents those three choices. Enter the current password exactly; changing the router password later means you must create and replace the code.

Enable Hidden network only when the router does not broadcast its SSID. Hidden status is a connection hint, not a security feature. A hidden network name and credentials can still be exposed to anyone who receives or scans the code.

The QR code generator updates its preview from your entries, so you can correct credentials and styling before export. The payload appears under the preview; treat that text as sensitive because it includes the network details.

A QR code needs distinct square modules and a clear quiet zone around them. Do not crop away the margin or place text, borders, or artwork against the symbol. The generator’s margin control ranges from zero to eight; a nonzero margin is the safer print choice.

Black on white is the most dependable combination. Other colors can work when the foreground is much darker than the background. The tool warns about low contrast and about light modules on a dark background because some readers struggle with those designs.

There is no single physical print size for every situation. Dense data, printing quality, surface texture, lighting, camera quality, and scanning distance all affect reliability. Export SVG when a designer must scale the code without softening its edges, or use a sufficiently large PNG at its intended size. Never stretch it non-uniformly.

QR error correction adds redundant information so the code may still decode when part of it is dirty, damaged, or obscured. The available levels are L, M, Q, and H. In the control, they correspond to approximately 7, 15, 25, and 30 percent recovery capability.

Higher correction is not automatically better. More redundancy creates a denser symbol for the same payload, which can make small printing harder to scan. Level M is a reasonable starting point for a clean indoor card. Consider Q or H for labels likely to be scratched or handled, then test the exact output.

Lowering correction can help when a payload is too dense, but shortening the SSID or using a dedicated guest network with manageable credentials may be a cleaner fix. Never cover modules with a logo unless you thoroughly test the final design.

Scan the preview before downloading, then scan the exported file again. For print, test the actual material at the final size rather than trusting a screen preview. Try the distance and lighting people will encounter, and include both an iPhone and an Android device when your audience is mixed.

Confirm that the phone identifies the intended SSID and joins successfully. A successful QR decode does not prove the password is current or the access point is reachable. If it fails, recheck capitalization, security type, hidden status, contrast, margin, and whether the printed modules are sharp.

Place a plain-text network name near the code so users can confirm the target, but do not print the password beside it unless that exposure is acceptable. Re-test whenever credentials, router settings, colors, size, or print vendor changes.

Anyone who can scan or photograph the code can obtain the connection details and may be able to join. Do not treat the QR image as secret once it is on a wall, counter, shared document, or social post.

Create a guest network for visitors, isolate it from trusted devices where your router supports that option, and rotate its password when access should end. The QR image is generated in your browser rather than uploaded, but you still control who can see the finished code.