Text QR code generator
Type a message, a code, or an instruction. Scanning shows the text on the phone. It works with no internet connection, because the text is in the code itself.
Free, with no account, no watermark, and no scan limit. The code is static: what it holds is in the pattern, so it never expires.
What happens when someone scans it?
The phone shows the text. What it offers next depends on the camera app: most let the person copy the text, and some offer to search the web for it.
What is in the code?
<your text>The text as typed, in UTF-8, so accents, other scripts, and emoji work. A code holds at most 2,331 bytes at error correction level M, and 1,273 with a logo.
How big should I print it?
Measured with the encoder this page uses, for one example: a 55-character note (55 characters). Each module needs at least 0.4 mm, and no code should be under 2 cm. A logo raises error correction to level H, which adds modules.
| Design | Modules | Minimum width | Scans from up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| No logo (level M) | 33 × 33 | 2 cm | 20 cm |
| With a logo (level H) | 41 × 41 | 2 cm | 20 cm |
For your own content and scan distance:
Tips
Short text, easy scan
Each character adds to the code. A sentence or two scans fast; a page of text makes a dense code that needs a large print.
Works offline
Good for places with no signal: a hiking trail, a basement, a ship. The text is in the pattern.
Not a secret
Anyone who scans the code reads the text. Do not put passwords or private data in it.
Need to change it later?
Text cannot change after printing. For content that changes, put it on a web page and make a URL code instead.
Questions
- How much text fits in a QR code?
- Up to 2,331 bytes at error correction level M, the Pretty QR default. With a logo the code uses level H, which holds 1,273 bytes. Most letters are 1 byte; accented letters take 2 and emoji 4.
- Does a text QR code need internet?
- No. The text is in the code, so the phone reads it with no connection.
- Can I put a long message in a QR code?
- Yes, but long text makes a dense code that must be printed large to scan. For more than a few sentences, a link to a page is easier to scan.
- What does the phone do with text?
- It shows it. Most camera apps also let you copy the text or search the web for it.