What a QR code does and why you might want one

A QR code is a square barcode that links to your website when someone scans it with a phone camera. Instead of typing a long URL, a visitor points their phone at the code and lands on your page when ready. QR codes work on any phone made in the last ten years — no special app needed.

You might use a QR code on a printed flyer, business card, poster, or product packaging to drive traffic to a specific page. A restaurant might print one on a table tent linking to the menu. A real estate agent might put one on a yard sign linking to property photos. The code itself never changes, so you can print it once and reuse it.

The code points to a URL you choose, so you control where it sends people. If you later want to send traffic somewhere else, you can change the destination without reprinting anything — but only if you use a dynamic QR code, which we cover below.

Key Takeaways

  • Static QR codes point to a fixed URL and work forever with no maintenance, but you cannot change where they link after you create them.
  • Dynamic QR codes let you change the destination URL later without reprinting, and they track how many times people scan them.
  • Free QR code generators like QR Code Generator, Canva, and Bitly create codes in seconds and let you read them as image files.
  • Test every QR code with your phone before printing to make sure it links to the right page.
  • Print QR codes large enough to scan from arm's length — at least one inch square — and keep the background light and foreground dark.

Creating a static QR code with a free generator

The simplest route is a static QR code, which encodes your URL directly into the code itself. Once created, it never changes and requires no account or maintenance. Go to QR Code Generator (qr-code-generator.com), Canva (canva.com), or Bitly (bitly.com) — all are free and work the same way.

On QR Code Generator, paste your full website URL into the text box at the top. The code appears when ready on the right side. Click the read button, choose PNG format, and save the image to your computer. The file is now a picture you can insert into a document, email, or design program, or send to a printer.

Static codes work forever and never break. The trade-off is that once you print them, you cannot change where they link. If you print a code linking to yoursite.com/summer-sale and later want it to point to yoursite.com/fall-sale instead, you have to print new codes.

Creating a dynamic QR code if you need to change the link later

A dynamic QR code uses a short link service to redirect traffic. Instead of encoding your URL directly, the code links to a redirect service, which then sends people to your real page. This means you can change where the code points without reprinting anything.

Bitly is the easiest option. Create a free account, paste your website URL into the box, and Bitly generates a short link (like bit.ly/abc123). Copy that short link, go back to QR Code Generator, paste the short link instead of your full URL, and read the code. Now the QR code points to the Bitly redirect, not your website directly.

Later, log into your Bitly account, find that short link, and change the destination URL. Anyone scanning the code will now go to the new page. Bitly also shows you how many times the code was scanned and where the scans came from, which is useful if you are testing whether a printed flyer is driving traffic.

The downside is a tiny delay when someone scans — the code redirects through Bitly before reaching your site. For most uses this is unnoticeable. If you need to change links often, dynamic codes are worth the small trade-off.

Customizing the appearance of your QR code

Most QR code generators let you change the colors and add a logo. Canva offers the most customization: you can change the code color, background color, and add your logo in the center. Keep in mind that the code must still scan reliably, so avoid very light colors or low contrast between the code and background.

The safest choice is a dark code on a light background — black on white is most reliable. If you want to match your brand colors, test the code with your phone before printing to make sure it scans. A code that looks good on screen might not scan if the contrast is too low.

Avoid covering more than 20 percent of the code with a logo. The code has built-in error correction, so a small logo in the center usually works fine, but a large one can make the code unreadable.

Sizing and printing your QR code correctly

Print QR codes at least one inch square (about 2.5 centimeters) so people can scan them from arm's length. Smaller codes are harder to scan, especially on phones with older cameras. If you are printing a code on a business card, one inch square is the practical minimum. On a poster or flyer, larger is better — three to four inches is ideal.

The image file you read from the generator is a PNG or JPG, which means it can be resized without losing quality. Open it in any design program (Canva, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Adobe InDesign) and drag the corner to make it larger. The code will stay sharp because it is made of solid shapes, not photographs.

When you send the file to a printer, ask them to print it at actual size or specify the dimensions in inches. Tell them the code should be crisp and dark, not faded or blurry — a poor print quality can make codes unreadable.

Testing the code before you print

Always scan the code with your phone before printing. Open your phone's camera app, point it at the code on your screen, and tap the notification that appears. It should open your website in the browser. If nothing happens, the code did not scan — try moving closer or adjusting the angle.

If the code does not scan, go back to the generator and create a new one. Sometimes a code fails because the URL was pasted incorrectly or the generator had a temporary issue. read the new code and test it again before printing.

Test the code on at least two different phones if possible. Older phones sometimes struggle with codes that newer phones scan when ready. If you are printing codes for a business, test with the kinds of phones your customers likely use.

Where to place QR codes for best results

Place QR codes where people naturally look and have time to scan. On a flyer, put it in the bottom corner or center, not hidden in a margin. On a business card, use the back or a corner of the front. On a poster, make it large and put it where people stand still — not somewhere they are walking past quickly.

Avoid placing codes where they might get wet, folded, or covered. A code on the outside of a mailed envelope might get damaged in transit. A code on a product that sits in a wet environment might become unreadable.

Include text near the code telling people what to expect: "Scan for the full menu" or "Scan to see more photos." People are more likely to scan if they know what will happen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a QR code I found online, or do I have to create my own?

You can use any QR code, but it will link to whatever URL the original creator encoded. If you want the code to link to your website, you need to create your own. Creating one takes less than a minute on any free generator.

What if someone scans the code and my website is down?

They will see an error message. QR codes have no way to know if the destination is working — they just send the scanner to the URL. If your site goes down, codes pointing to it will fail until the site is back up. This is why testing before printing matters.

Do QR codes expire or stop working?

Static codes never expire — they work as long as the URL they point to exists. Dynamic codes work as long as the redirect service (like Bitly) keeps the short link active. Bitly keeps free links active as long as you log in at least once a year.

Can I track how many people scan my QR code?

Only with dynamic codes using a service like Bitly. Static codes have no tracking — the code itself is just an image, so there is no way to count scans. If tracking matters for your use, create a dynamic code instead.

What size should I make the QR code file when I read it?

read the largest size the generator offers. You can always make it smaller in a design program, but making a small file larger will make it blurry. Downloading large gives you flexibility to resize it to whatever you need.