How to make a QR code for a website link

A QR code can take someone straight to your website when they scan it with a phone. It is useful on flyers, business cards, menus, product packaging, or a screen at an event.

Use the QR Code Generator to turn a website address into a code, adjust its appearance, and save it. The important part is to test the finished code with a phone before you share or print it.

Make a QR code for your website

1. Open the QR Code Generator and choose the option for a website link or URL.
2. Enter the full address of the page you want people to visit. Include the beginning, such as https://, and check the spelling carefully.
3. Generate the code. If you want to customize it, choose a color or add a logo using the options available in the tool.
4. Scan the code with your phone. Check that it opens the right page, not just the home page or an error message.
5. Save the finished QR code using the option provided, then scan that saved version too. If you plan to print it, test a sample at the size you will use.

Use the final website address, not a search phrase or a partial address. For example, enter https://example.com/contact if you want the code to open a contact page. A code made for the home page will not automatically lead to a different page on that site.

Choose the right link and appearance

Use the exact page people need

A website QR code stores a link. If you want customers to see a menu, booking form, product page, or directions, use that page's complete address. Scan the link in a regular browser first to make sure the page loads and does not ask visitors to sign in.

For a link with extra details after the main address, such as a campaign tracking code, include the whole link if those details matter. A long address can make the QR pattern more complex, so test it at the size you intend to use.

Keep the code easy to scan

A dark code on a light background is usually the safest choice. The generator lets you change colors and add a logo, but strong decoration can make a code harder for some phone cameras to read. Keep clear contrast between the code and its background, and do not cover important parts of the pattern with a large logo.

Leave a clear border around the code. This empty space helps a camera tell where the QR code begins and ends. Avoid placing it over a busy photograph, near a fold, or against an edge where part of the code could be cut off.

Pick a practical printed size

There is no single size that works for every situation. A code on a hand-held flyer can be smaller than one on a poster people scan from across a room. Make a sample at the intended size, then try scanning it from the distance your audience will use. If the phone struggles, make the code larger or move it closer to the viewer.

If the QR code will not scan

1. Check the address. Scan the code and read the link shown by the phone before opening it. If it has a typo, an unwanted page, or missing text, correct the link and make a new code.
2. Increase the contrast. Use a dark code on a plain, light background. Avoid pale colors, similar colors for the code and background, and patterns that blend into the surrounding design.
3. Make the code larger. If a phone has to be very close or cannot focus on it, print a larger version. Keep the whole code and its clear border visible.
4. Remove visual obstructions. Move text, borders, stickers, and logos away from the code. Check that the printed code is not blurry, stretched, folded, or cropped.
5. Try another phone camera. Open the phone's Camera app and point it steadily at the code in good light. Some cameras need a moment to focus, and a dirty lens or strong glare can interfere with scanning.

Check the destination before sharing

A QR code does not prove that a website is safe. It can open any address, so verify the destination yourself before printing the code or handing it to other people. Check the spelling of the domain and make sure the page is the one you intended to share.

For a typical website-link code, the destination address is encoded in the code itself. If you later move the page or change its address, the old code will still point to the old link. Make a replacement code and update any printed materials or images that use it.

Anyone who can scan a code may be able to open its destination, so do not use a public QR code for a private or restricted page.