How to create an SMS QR code with a message

If you want someone to text you, a QR code can save them from typing your number and the first line of a message. Scanning it opens a new text draft with those details filled in. The person still reviews and sends the message themselves.

Use the QR Code Generator to make the code, then scan it with a phone before you print it or share it. A quick test catches a wrong number or a message that does not display as expected.

Create the SMS QR code

1. Open the QR Code Generator and choose the SMS type from the available code types.
2. Enter the phone number that should receive the text. Include the country code if people may scan the code from another country.
3. Enter the message you want to prepare. Keep it short and make sure it says what the recipient should know or do.
4. Check the generated preview, then save or download the QR code using the available control.
5. Scan the saved code with a phone camera. Confirm that the message app opens a draft with the intended number and message, and do not send it unless you mean to.

Test the saved image, not just the preview. If you plan to print the code, also scan a sample printed at the size you intend to use. A code that works when enlarged on a screen may be difficult to read when printed small.

Choose the right number and message

Use a number people can text

Check each digit carefully before generating the code. Add the country code when the code may be used internationally, and use the number's normal format for the intended audience. A code cannot make a landline or a number that does not accept texts receive an SMS.

Make the prepared message clear

Write a short opening that gives the recipient useful context. For example, a business might prepare “Hi, I would like to ask about your appointment availability.” The person scanning can usually edit the draft before sending it, so do not treat the prepared wording as a locked form or a guaranteed reply.

Keep the code easy to scan

Use a clear, high-contrast design, such as a dark code on a light background. If you customize the colors or add a logo, test the result on more than one phone. Avoid placing the code on a patterned surface or shrinking it until its small squares blur together.

What happens when someone scans it

The phone opens a text draft

This is the expected result. The messaging app should show the recipient and the prepared message. The person can review, change, or delete the text, then tap the phone's send control themselves. The QR code does not send a message automatically.

The phone shows a prompt first

Some phones or camera apps ask whether to open the messaging app. That is normal. The person can choose to open the draft, but they are not committed to sending it.

The phone opens the wrong app or no draft

QR scanners and messaging apps can handle SMS codes differently. Test the code on the kinds of phones your audience is likely to use. If scanning opens a web page, check that you selected the SMS code type rather than a web link, then generate and test the code again.

How to fix scanning problems

1. Check the recipient number. Re-enter it and compare every digit with the number you intend to use. Pay special attention to the country code and any leading digits.
2. Scan the actual saved image. Open it on a second screen or print a sample, then scan it with the phone camera. This helps separate a code-generation problem from a display or print problem.
3. Increase the size and contrast. Make the code larger and use a dark foreground on a light background. Leave clear space around the outside so the camera can find the code's edges.
4. Remove design changes temporarily. If you added a logo or customized the colors, generate a simpler version and test it. If the simple code works, add design elements back one at a time and scan after each change.
5. Try another phone camera. One camera app may handle a QR code differently from another. If the code works on one phone but not another, make the design more readable and test again on the phone that had trouble.

Check privacy before sharing

The QR code contains the destination number and the prepared message. Anyone who scans it may be able to see those details in the message draft, so do not include private information or wording that should not be shared. If the code will be posted publicly, use a number intended for public contact rather than a personal number.

Before distributing many copies, test one printed or posted example with a phone that is not yours. Confirm the recipient, wording, and scan experience are all right for the people who will use it.