HOW TO USE

How to Use QR GENERATOR

Step-by-step guide for the free QR Code Generator

Quick Start (4 Steps)

1

Choose content type
Select Text/URL, WiFi, Contact, Email, or SMS from the tabs.

2

Enter your information
Fill in the fields (URL, WiFi password, contact details, etc.).

3

Customize the QR code
Change colors, size, error correction level, and upload a logo if desired.

4

Download or copy
Click Download PNG, Download SVG, or Copy the content.

Detailed Guide

Step 1: Selecting Content Type

Qrly supports five different types of QR codes:

• Text / URL — Any text or website link
• WiFi — Share WiFi network credentials
• Contact — vCard format for phone contacts
• Email — Pre-filled email with subject and message
• SMS — Pre-filled text message to a number

Tip: For most cases, use the Text/URL tab. It’s the most flexible option.

Step 2: Entering Your Content

Each tab has its own simple form:

• URL: Just paste the full link (e.g. https://example.com)
• WiFi: Enter network name, password, and security type
• Contact: Add name, phone, email, and company
• Email & SMS: Fill in the recipient and optional message

Step 3: Customizing Appearance

Colors
Change foreground (QR dots) and background colors using the color pickers.

Size
Drag the slider from 160px to 450px. Larger = better for printing.

Error Correction
Medium (M) works for most cases. Use High (H) if you plan to add a logo.

Logo Overlay
Upload your own logo (PNG recommended). It will be centered on the QR code.

Step 4: Downloading Your QR Code

• PNG — Standard download (good for most uses)
• High-res PNG — 1200px version for print or large displays
• SVG — Vector format (best for scaling without quality loss)
• Copy — Copies the raw content (text/URL) to clipboard

Best Practices

• Use Medium or High error correction when adding a logo
• Keep the QR code at least 2cm × 2cm when printing
• Test the QR code with multiple phones before sharing
• Use high contrast colors (dark foreground on light background)
• For business cards or print materials, use the SVG export

Common Use Cases

Use Case	Recommended Settings
Website / Marketing	Text/URL + Medium size + Brand colors
Event WiFi	WiFi tab + High error correction
Business Cards	Contact tab + SVG export
Product Packaging	URL + High contrast + Logo
Restaurant Menu	Text/URL + Large size (450px)

Troubleshooting

• QR code not scanning? → Increase size or use higher error correction.
• Logo makes it unreadable? → Use High (H) error correction and keep logo under 25% of the QR size.
• Colors too light? → Use dark foreground on white/light background for best results.
• SVG looks different? → SVG export uses the current settings at the moment you click download.
• WiFi not connecting? → Double-check the password and security type (WPA is most common).

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Generate QR Codes (Without the Headache)

I still remember the exact moment I started hating QR codes. It was 2019 and I was running a small pop-up event. I spent an entire evening making what I thought was a perfect QR code for the WiFi password. Printed it on 50 signs. People showed up, pointed their phones at it, and… nothing. Just spinning circles and confused faces. I had to stand there and read the password out loud like it was 2012.

That’s when I realized most QR codes are kind of terrible. Either they don’t scan, they look ugly, or they take you to some random landing page that feels like it was made in 2009. And the tools to make them? Either overly complicated or they want you to sign up and pay for basic features.

Why Making QR Codes Used to Be So Annoying

For the longest time I just avoided them whenever possible. If someone asked me to put a QR code on something, I’d find any excuse not to. The few times I did try, I’d end up on some sketchy website that added a watermark or limited how many I could make.

Even when the code worked, the result usually looked bad. Big chunky pixels, weird colors, or a logo that made the whole thing unscannable. I once spent 20 minutes trying to get a simple link to work on a business card, only to have it fail when someone actually tried to scan it at a networking event.

The biggest problem was that every tool felt like it was designed by people who had never actually used a QR code in real life.

How I Generate QR Codes Now

These days it takes me about 30 seconds and I don’t even think twice about it.

I open a simple browser-based tool (the kind that doesn’t ask for an email or try to sell me anything). I pick what kind of code I need — a regular link, WiFi details, contact info, or whatever — and just fill in the boxes. No complicated menus.

Then I play with the colors a bit if I want it to match branding. Most of the time I just leave it black on white because it works everywhere. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll upload a tiny logo. The good tools make sure the logo doesn’t break the code.

Finally I download it as PNG for quick use or SVG if I know it’s going on something that might get printed at different sizes. Done.

One thing I always do now: I scan the code myself with my phone before I send it anywhere. Takes five seconds and has saved me from embarrassment more times than I care to admit.

What Actually Makes a Good QR Code

After making hundreds of them (and fixing a lot of bad ones other people made), here’s what I’ve learned:

Size matters more than people think. A tiny QR code on a business card is almost always a bad idea. The phone camera needs to actually see the pattern clearly. Bigger is almost always better for real-world use.

Contrast is everything. Light gray dots on a slightly off-white background might look stylish in your design software, but they’re useless when someone tries to scan them in normal lighting.

Don’t overcomplicate the content. The best QR codes do one thing simply. Sending someone to a long complicated URL with tracking parameters is asking for trouble. Keep it clean.

Real example from a few months ago: A friend was doing a product launch and had printed beautiful packaging with a tiny QR code in the corner. It looked great in the mockups. In real life, nobody could scan it. We changed it to a much larger code with high contrast and simple URL. Suddenly people were actually using it.

Common Situations Where QR Codes Actually Help

Here are the ones I actually use them for these days:

• WiFi at events or offices — Guests don’t have to type anything. They just scan and connect.
• Business cards and printed materials — Much better than typing a long email address by hand.
• Restaurant menus — After 2020 this became normal. People prefer it to touching a shared menu.
• Product packaging — Quick way to send people to instructions, warranty registration, or social media.
• Networking events — Instead of awkwardly typing someone’s website on your phone, you just scan their code.

Things I Stopped Doing

I no longer:

• Use free online generators that add watermarks or limit downloads
• Make the QR code tiny just because it “looks better” in the design
• Use super fancy colors that look good on screen but fail in real life
• Put the entire company website in the code when a specific page would be more useful
• Worry that people will think QR codes are “cringe” — they’re just useful now

The biggest shift for me was realizing that a slightly boring but reliable QR code is way more valuable than a beautiful one that doesn’t work.

Small Tricks That Make a Difference

If you’re putting a logo in the middle, use high error correction. Otherwise the code might break.

For anything that’s going to be printed and might be scanned in different lighting, stick with black on white or very dark on very light.

Always test the code on at least two different phones (iPhone and Android) before you commit to printing or sharing it.

If you’re sharing WiFi, double-check the password. Nothing is more annoying than a QR code that connects people to the wrong network.

For professional use, SVG export is worth it. You can make the code as big or small as you want later without it getting pixelated.

Why This Used to Feel More Complicated Than It Needed To

I think a lot of people still avoid QR codes because the first few tools they tried were either bad or overly complicated. You’d get overwhelmed with settings you didn’t understand, or the result would just look cheap.

Once you find a tool that feels simple and actually produces reliable results, it stops being a chore. Now when someone asks me for a QR code, I just make one and move on with my day.

The Bottom Line

Good QR codes are invisible in the best way. They just work. People scan them without thinking, and they get where they need to go.

Whether you’re running events, printing materials, sharing WiFi, or just trying to make life slightly easier for people — a well-made QR code is one of those small details that actually matters.

I used to dread making them. Now I barely notice when I do.