How to create a URL QR code
A URL QR code turns a link into a square someone can scan instead of typing. Here is the whole flow, plus the handful of decisions that decide whether it still works once it is printed on a poster.
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1. Paste the link and choose the URL type
Open the URL QR code generator and paste the full address, including https://. The type is usually a website; pick another only when the link really is a PDF, an app store page or a booking form. Everything you type is encoded into the pattern itself, not stored on our servers.
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2. The code redraws as you type
There is no submit button: the preview updates with every keystroke and stays blank while a required field is empty. Keep the link as short as you reasonably can, because fewer characters make a less dense pattern that scans more easily at small sizes.
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3. Download PNG or SVG, then test the print
Use PNG for anything you print yourself and SVG when a designer needs to resize it. Before a print run, scan one proof from the distance a customer will use and check the page opens over mobile data, not office WiFi.
What to check before you publish
- Test with two phones - one iPhone, one Android, from the distance people will actually scan.
- Use https:// so the code opens a browser rather than searching for your domain.
- Keep the URL short - long links make dense patterns that struggle when printed small.
- Print a fallback - put the address next to the code for anyone who cannot scan.
Static or dynamic for a link?
A static URL code is free and never expires, but the address is baked into the pattern: move the page and every printed copy breaks. If the destination might change, or you want to know how many people scanned, use a dynamic QR code so the destination stays editable and the scans are counted.
Where URL codes work best
- Window posters and A-boards that send passers-by to a booking page.
- Packaging and receipts that link to a manual or a reorder page.
- Business cards and event signage where a typed address would be forgotten.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an app to scan a URL QR code?
No. Current iPhone and Android cameras recognise a link and offer to open it. A separate QR reader is only needed on older handsets.
Should the URL include https://?
Yes. Without a scheme, some scanners treat the text as a search query instead of opening your page, so include https:// in the code.
Can I track how many people scan a URL QR code?
Not with a static code, because the scan never reaches us. A dynamic code routes the scan through a short address you control, so each scan can be counted.
What happens if the page moves?
A static code keeps pointing at the old address and fails. Either keep the link permanent or use a dynamic code and update the destination without reprinting.
Create your URL QR code
Free, no sign-up, no watermark. Generate a link code and test it before you print.