How to make a QR code in 8 steps
- Decide what the code should do: open a link, join WiFi, save a contact, send a WhatsApp message.
- Choose the matching QR code type.
- Choose static or dynamic.
- Enter your content.
- Design it: colors, dot style, logo and a frame with a call to action.
- Check the scannability score and test it on real phones.
- Download the right file: SVG or PDF for print, PNG for screens.
- Print it at the right size, then track scans and update it when needed.
The sections below explain each step in detail.
Step 1: Choose the right QR code type
A QR code is only as useful as what it opens. Start from what you want people to do after they scan, then pick the type:
| You want people to… | QR code type |
|---|---|
| Visit your website, a form or an online store | Website link |
| Join your WiFi without typing the password | WiFi |
| Save your contact details | vCard (contact card) |
| Message you with a ready text | WhatsApp, SMS or email |
| Call you | Phone call |
| Find your shop or venue | Location |
| Save an event in their calendar | Event |
| Follow you on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and more | Social links page |
| Open a catalog, brochure or manual | |
| Browse your menu with prices and photos | Restaurant menu |
| Watch a video or see photos | Video or images gallery |
| Use a discount | Coupon |
| Rate their visit privately | Feedback |
The PDF, menu, gallery, video, coupon and feedback types are hosted: QRaft builds a mobile page for you, so you don't need your own website.
Step 2: Static or dynamic QR code?
This is the most important decision. A static QR code stores your content inside the pattern itself. It works forever, but it can never be changed and it can't be tracked. A dynamic QR code stores a short link, such as qr.linkom.app/AB3DE9K, that forwards to your content. You can change the destination at any time and see how many people scan it.
- Choose static for WiFi, plain text and contact details that won't change.
- Choose dynamic for anything printed in quantity: menus, flyers, packaging, business cards, signs.
On QRaft's free plan you get unlimited static codes and 3 dynamic codes. Static codes never expire. Dynamic codes keep working as long as your account exists.
Step 3: Design a QR code people want to scan
A plain black-and-white code works, but a branded one gets more scans because people can see who it belongs to. In QRaft's editor you can:
- Pick one of 8 dot styles and a corner style.
- Use a solid color or a linear or radial gradient, and give the three corner eyes their own color.
- Upload your logo. The area behind it is cleared so the logo doesn't break the pattern.
- Add a frame with a call to action, such as "Scan for the menu" or "Scan to join WiFi".
- Save your logo, colors and style as a brand kit and apply them to any new code in one click.
Three rules keep a designed code scannable: a dark code on a light background (not the reverse), strong contrast, and a logo no wider than about 20–30% of the code. When you add a logo, set error correction to Q or H so the code can still be read with part of it covered.
Step 4: Check that your QR code scans
While you design, QRaft shows a live scannability score. It warns you if the contrast is too low or the logo is too big, before anything goes to the printer.
Then test the real thing. Scan the code on screen with at least one iPhone and one Android phone, using the normal camera app. Check that it opens the right place, then print a test copy at the final size and scan it again from the distance people will actually stand.
Always test the printed proof, not just the screen. Paper texture, glossy lamination and small sizes cause most scanning problems, and a five-minute test costs far less than a reprint.
Step 5: Download the right file format
| Format | Best for |
|---|---|
| SVG | Print of any size. It's a vector file, so it stays sharp from a business card to a billboard. |
| PDF (print-ready) | Sending straight to a print shop. |
| PNG (up to 4000 px) | Websites, social media, presentations and documents. |
| JPG | Places that don't accept PNG. Use a white background. |
If a designer is placing the code in a layout, send them the SVG. Never send a screenshot: it's low resolution and blurs when printed.
Step 6: Print your QR code at the right size
A simple rule: the code's width should be about one tenth of the scanning distance. If people scan from 1 meter away, make it about 10 cm wide. The absolute minimum is 2 × 2 cm.
| Where it's printed | Typical scan distance | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | 20–25 cm | 2–2.5 cm |
| Product packaging | 20–30 cm | 2–3 cm |
| Flyer or table tent | 30–40 cm | 3–4 cm |
| A3 poster | about 1 m | 8–10 cm |
| Shop window or roll-up banner | 2 m or more | 20 cm or more |
Leave a quiet zone, a clear margin around the code about four dots wide, and keep text and borders out of it. Print on matte paper where you can, since shiny surfaces reflect light into the camera.
Step 7: Track scans and update your QR code
Once a dynamic code is out in the world, its analytics show scans per day, unique visitors, countries, cities, devices and operating systems, plus a heatmap of the hours and weekdays when people scan. You can export the data as CSV and get a weekly email report.
To compare placements, create one code per place, such as one for the window and one for the counter, and keep them organised in folders. For links to your own website, the built-in UTM builder adds campaign tags so visits also show up in your website analytics.
If something changes, such as a new menu, a moved page or a wrong link, edit the destination and the printed code keeps working. You can also pause a code and resume it later. And if you need many codes at once, bulk creation from a list or CSV handles up to 50 on the free plan, 500 on Pro and 10,000 on Business.
Questions
Can I make a QR code for free?+
Yes. QRaft's free plan includes unlimited static codes and 3 dynamic codes. Paid plans add more dynamic codes, full analytics history and smart rules.
Do QR codes expire?+
Static codes never expire. Dynamic codes depend on the provider. On QRaft they keep working as long as your account exists, and if a paid plan ends they keep working for 3 more months before extra codes are paused, never deleted.
Can I change a QR code after printing it?+
Only if it's dynamic. A dynamic code's destination can be edited at any time. A static code's content is part of its pattern, so you'd need a new code.
What's the smallest size a QR code can be printed?+
About 2 × 2 cm for a code that's scanned up close, such as on a business card. Go bigger when people scan from further away, and always test a printed copy.