Knowledge Base

Comprehensive technical answers to our most common operational inquiries.

1. Are these codes genuinely free forever?

Yes, they are unequivocally free forever. The technology we use relies on "Static Generation." This means the URL, text, or data you input is mathematically translated into the physical black and white squares of the image. Because the data lives inside the image itself, it does not require our servers to route the traffic.

2. Will my generated images ever expire?

No. A static generation engine produces an image that functions identically to a printed barcode. As long as the destination (e.g., your website URL) remains valid on the internet, the physical image will successfully scan for the rest of eternity.

3. Can I use these for commercial purposes and mass marketing?

Absolutely. You are granted a full, unrestricted commercial license to use the generated images in any capacity. You can print them on consumer packaging, display them in national television advertisements, or utilize them on real estate yard signs without owing any royalties.

4. Can I change the destination URL after I have printed it?

No. Because the URL is physically hard-coded into the matrix pattern of the image, changing the URL requires generating an entirely new image. Always test your code thoroughly before sending it to a commercial printer.

5. Is there a limit to how many people can scan my image?

There are absolutely zero scan limits. Because the image is read by the user's local smartphone camera, our system is entirely bypassed during the scanning process. It will never break due to scan volume, even if scanned millions of times.

6. Can I track analytics (how many people scanned it)?

Because we do not use intermediary tracking servers, we don't provide an internal dashboard. However, you can easily track scans yourself using UTM parameters by appending UTM tags to your destination URL before pasting it into our generator (e.g., yoursite.com?utm_source=flyer).

7. How do "Offline Text" codes work without internet?

When you generate an offline plain text asset, the text is converted into binary format and stored visually within the squares. The native camera app decodes the binary back into text directly on the screen without needing to load a web page or rely on cellular data.

8. Will adding my custom corporate logo make it unscannable?

No. Our engine automatically applies a high Error Correction Level. This means a significant percentage of the data dots can be covered by your logo, and the smartphone camera software will still perfectly reconstruct the missing information to trigger the scan.

9. Do you store the data I input into the generator?

No. Our platform is built on advanced client-side rendering. A JavaScript library processes the text directly inside your browser. The text is never sent to, processed by, or stored on our web servers, guaranteeing complete privacy.

10. Why is the URL option better than Plain Text for long documents?

Encoding a massive amount of text directly into the image makes the matrix incredibly dense. A highly dense image looks like a solid black square and is hard to scan. It is significantly better to host the long text on a webpage and encode the short URL pointing to it.

11. Why is my QR code blurry when I print it?

Blurriness usually occurs when you download a standard PNG format and stretch it to fit a large poster or banner. Raster images (like PNGs) lose quality when scaled up. If you are printing anything larger than a standard flyer, we highly recommend exporting the code as an SVG file, which is a vector graphic that never loses resolution regardless of size.

12. Can I link a QR code directly to a PDF document?

Yes! To do this, you first need to host your PDF online. Upload your PDF to Google Drive, Dropbox, or your own website's media library. Ensure the sharing settings are set to "Public" or "Anyone with the link can view." Then, copy that shareable link and paste it into the URL tab of our generator.

13. What is the "Quiet Zone" and why do I need it?

The "Quiet Zone" is the mandatory blank, white margin that completely surrounds the outside of the QR code matrix. Smartphone cameras rely on this blank space to separate the code from the surrounding graphics or text on your flyer. Our generator automatically applies a standard, safe margin to all downloads. Never crop this margin out in Photoshop.

14. How do I make a QR code for my Google My Business review page?

First, log into your Google Business Profile. Look for the "Get more reviews" button or the "Share review form" link. Google will provide you with a short URL specifically for your business. Copy that URL, paste it into our generator's URL tab, and download your code. When customers scan it, they will be taken directly to the 5-star rating prompt.

15. Why is my smartphone camera not recognizing the code?

Scan failures are usually caused by three things: 1) Lack of contrast (e.g., a dark grey code on a black background). 2) The code is printed too small for the distance you are scanning it from. 3) The three large squares in the corners (the finder patterns) have been covered up or distorted by a custom design. Ensure high contrast and clear corner squares.

16. Can a QR code automatically open an app like Instagram or Spotify?

Yes. Modern smartphone operating systems use "Universal Links" or "App Links." If you paste a standard Instagram profile URL (e.g., instagram.com/yourhandle) into the generator, the user's phone will automatically detect it and open the native Instagram app instead of the web browser, assuming the app is installed on their device.

17. Does a QR code have to be black and white?

No, you can use any colors you like, provided there is enough contrast! The golden rule is to always use a dark color for the code (the foreground) and a light color for the background. If you invert them (a white code on a black background), many older smartphone cameras will fail to read it.

18. How small can I print a QR code on a business card?

For standard, high-density codes (like a vCard), the absolute minimum recommended size is 0.8 x 0.8 inches (2 x 2 centimeters). If you print it smaller than this, the tiny data dots will blend together in the printing process, making it impossible for the camera lens to distinguish the pattern.

19. Can I put a QR code on a t-shirt or fabric?

Yes, but it requires careful design. Fabric moves, stretches, and wrinkles. If the code is distorted by a wrinkle, it won't scan. If you print on fabric, make the code as large and simple as possible (encode a short URL). Print it on a flat area like the upper chest or back, and use a high-quality screen print to prevent the ink from bleeding.

20. What happens if I print my QR code mirrored or backwards?

If a QR code is printed mirrored (which sometimes happens when printing on the inside of a glass window to be scanned from the outside), it will completely fail to scan. The three corner finder patterns must be exactly where the camera expects them to be. Always print the code exactly as it appears when downloaded.

21. Can a QR code automatically draft an email for the user?

Yes. By utilizing the Email tab in our generator, you can specify a recipient address, a subject line, and a pre-written message body. When the user scans the code, their phone's native email client (like Apple Mail or Gmail) will open with all the fields perfectly populated, requiring them to only hit "Send."

22. Do these codes work on both iPhones and Android devices?

Yes. Since 2017, both Apple (iOS) and Google (Android) have integrated native QR code scanning directly into their default camera apps. Users no longer need to download a special third-party app from the app store; they simply open their camera, point it at the code, and click the link that pops up.

23. Can I use a QR code to connect guests to a hidden WiFi network?

Yes. When generating a WiFi code, there is an underlying technical parameter for hidden networks. While our standard WiFi tool handles most routers perfectly, please note that some older Android devices may struggle to auto-connect to networks that do not publicly broadcast their SSID.

24. Is it possible to make a QR code for a cryptocurrency wallet?

Absolutely. Crypto addresses are long, complex strings of characters that are nearly impossible to type manually without error. You can select the "Plain Text" option in our generator and paste your public wallet address. Customers can then scan the code with their crypto wallet app to auto-fill the destination address for a secure payment.

25. Are QR codes safe from computer viruses?

The code image itself cannot contain a virus—it is just text. However, the destination it points to could be malicious. This is known as "Quishing" (QR Phishing). We recommend always using your own, trusted domains when generating codes. Additionally, if you place codes in public spaces (like a bus stop), frequently check to ensure someone hasn't placed a malicious sticker over yours.

26. Why does my code look more complex than other ones I see?

The density of the dots (the "complexity") is directly related to the amount of data encoded. A code containing a simple link like `google.com` will have very few, large blocks. A code containing a massive vCard with an address, phone number, and company notes will be very dense with tiny blocks. To keep codes simple, use URL shorteners.

27. Can a QR code trigger an automated SMS text message?

Yes. Using the SMS tab in our generator, you can input a phone number and a pre-written message (e.g., "Sign me up for the newsletter!"). When scanned, the user's messaging app will open with the text ready to go. This is a highly effective strategy for lead generation and SMS marketing campaigns.

28. Can I print on transparent materials like glass or acrylic?

Printing on clear materials is highly risky. Smartphone cameras require a solid, opaque background to establish contrast against the dark dots. If you print on glass, the background will constantly change depending on what is behind the glass (trees, dark rooms, moving cars), which usually causes the camera to fail to recognize the pattern.

29. Can I generate codes in bulk via an API?

At this time, we offer a dedicated front-end generation tool meant for individual, high-fidelity asset creation and deep design customization. We do not currently offer an open API for bulk programmatic generation of thousands of codes simultaneously.

30. What happens if your website shuts down in the future?

If our website were to go offline permanently, every single code you have ever generated will continue to work flawlessly. Because we use static generation, the images you downloaded belong to you and rely entirely on the infrastructure of the URLs or text you encoded into them, not our servers. This is the ultimate peace of mind.