What makes a link scan well
The longer the URL, the denser the code. A 30-character link makes a 25-by-25 grid; a 200-character tracking link with six parameters makes a 50-by-50 grid that fails on receipts and business cards. If your link is long, either use a dynamic code (the code holds a short link) or shorten it with your own domain. Avoid generic public shorteners on print: they can rate-limit, expire, or interstitial your visitors.
Include https:// so every phone treats it as a link rather than text. The generator adds it if you forget.
Two longer walkthroughs live on the blog: How to create a QR code for a link fast for a single page, and how to create a QR code for a website when the code represents your whole site and you want it to survive a redesign.
Where the link should go
Send people to the page that does the thing the print promised, on a phone. A flyer about a sale goes to the sale, not the homepage. A conference slide goes to the slides, not the company site. The two seconds after a scan are the whole attention span you get.
If you need to know which print piece a visit came from, add UTM parameters (there is a Website + UTM type in the generator that does it for you) and keep the code dynamic so the long tagged link stays out of the pattern.
- Business cards and flyers: 1 in (2.5 cm), the short link printed under the code as text.
- Posters and signs: 3 in (8 cm) or more, a caption saying what opens.
- Slides and screens: a quarter of the screen height, left up long enough to scan.
- Email and web pages: use a real link; a QR code on a screen is for phones pointed at another screen.
Testing before you print
Scan the proof with two phones, one iPhone and one Android, at the distance it will be scanned from and in the light it will be seen in. Check the destination loads in under three seconds on mobile data. Keep the white margin around the code (four modules) clear of artwork and folds.
How big to print it
Rule of thumb: the code should be at least one tenth of the distance it is scanned from. These are the sizes that work in practice for this job.
| Where | Scan distance | Minimum width |
|---|---|---|
| Business card or receipt | 8-12 in (20-30 cm) | 0.8 in (2 cm) |
| Flyer, brochure, menu | 12-16 in (30-40 cm) | 1 in (2.5 cm) |
| Poster or window | 3-7 ft (1-2 m) | 3 in (8 cm) |
| Banner or sign | 7-16 ft (2-5 m) | 6-12 in (15-30 cm) |
Why make it dynamic
A static code is the link, converted to squares. Change the link and the print is wrong. A dynamic code is a short link we redirect, so the pattern never changes and the destination can: the campaign page, the new site after a redesign, the product that replaced the old one. It also makes the pattern simpler, which scans more reliably at small sizes, and it counts every scan.
Dynamic codes are part of Premium, $4 a month. Static vs dynamic, explained.
Step by step
- 1
Paste the link
Any URL. The generator normalizes it and shows the code instantly.
- 2
Pick colors and a frame
Dark on light for the code itself; the frame and caption carry the brand.
- 3
Download
PNG for screens and quick prints, SVG for anything a print shop touches.
- 4
Save it to change it later
On Premium the code stays put while the link behind it changes; every scan is counted.
Questions people ask
- How do I turn a link into a QR code for free?
- Paste the link into the generator on this page and click Download PNG or SVG. No signup needed, though a free account removes the small QRFLOW mark that anonymous downloads carry. Any phone camera opens the link.
- Can I make a QR code for my whole website rather than one page?
- Yes, the code is just a link, so paste your homepage. Make it dynamic if the site might move or be rebuilt: the printed code keeps pointing at whatever address you set in the dashboard, and the scan counts show which prints send visitors. The website walkthrough on the blog covers the redesign case.
- Does the QR code expire?
- A static code never expires; the link is inside the pattern. A dynamic code keeps redirecting even if you leave Premium later, capped at 500 scans a month. Editing it again needs a live plan, beyond the one dynamic code Free includes. Nothing is deleted.
- Can I change the link after I print the code?
- Only with a dynamic code, which points to a short link we redirect. Static codes are fixed at creation.
- Why is my code so dense?
- Long URLs make dense codes. Use a dynamic code (the pattern holds a short link) or shorten the URL, and print at least 1 in (2.5 cm).
- Can I put a logo in the middle?
- Yes, on Premium. Keep it under about a fifth of the code's width; the error correction covers the rest.
- PNG or SVG?
- SVG for print (sharp at any size); PNG for screens, documents and quick office prints. Both are one click.
Make the code now, change the link later
Free to make and print. Premium ($4/mo) keeps it editable and counts every scan.