How to make a QR code for a link
9 min read
To make a QR code for a link, copy the page's URL, paste it into a QR code generator and download the image. It takes about a minute, and before you print, make the code editable so you can change the link later, then test that it scans.
In short
- All you need is a link: to a page, a profile, a file or a form.
- Paste it into The link to turn into a QR code and the preview appears right away.
- For anything printed, use a dynamic code so you can change the link without reprinting.
- Wait for Scans correctly, then scan the code with your own phone before you print.
- Download SVG for print and PNG for documents and screens.
Contents
How to make a QR code for a link in 3 steps
The quickest route is a free dynamic QR code generator like linqr. The creator sits at the top of the home page, and there's nothing to install.
Copy the link
Open the page you want people to see and copy its address. The next section shows how on each device.
Paste it into The link to turn into a QR code
Use Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac) or the Paste button. The code appears at once, and linqr adds
https://if you left it off.Click Download QR code
Save the code to a free account (Google, or email and password). The first PNG, 1024 px, downloads on its own, and you can pick another Format or Size in the same window.
Copy a link on desktop, iPhone and Android
Desktop
Click the address bar (the whole address gets selected) and press Ctrl+C, or Cmd+C on a Mac. Copy the address your visitors should see, not the URL of your site editor or a search results page.
iPhone
In Safari, tap the three-dot button at the bottom of the screen, then Share, and copy the link, as Apple's iPhone guide describes. In apps like Instagram, YouTube or Google Maps, look for the share button and an option to copy the link.
Android
In Chrome, tap More next to the address bar, then Share…, as Google's Chrome help describes, and copy the link from the share options.
Open the copied link in a private browser window. If the page asks you to sign in there, people who scan your code will be asked too. That's what usually happens with Google Drive files that aren't shared.
Browser QR codes are static: when that's fine
Chrome can make a QR code for any page: on a computer, choose More, then “Cast, save, and share” and “Create QR code”; on Android, More, then “Share…” and “QR Code”. That code holds the page address itself, so it's static. It works as long as the page does, but a new address means a new code and a new print run. The difference is explained in static vs dynamic QR codes.
- Static is fine for one-offs: sharing a tab with your own phone, a slide for today's meeting, a link for a friend.
- Dynamic is safer for anything printed that should last longer than a week: flyers, menus, business cards, packaging, signs.
Make it editable so you can change the link later
Every linqr code holds a short link, onsonara.com/q/…, that redirects to your address. To send it somewhere else, open My codes, choose Change link, paste the address into New destination link and confirm. The change is live immediately and the printed code stays the same. Earlier links appear under Previous links in the Change link window, with a Use again button.
The Free plan includes 3 active dynamic codes with unlimited link changes and scans. Codes have no expiry date, and the Free plan has no trial and needs no credit card.
Add a logo and colors
Next to the link field (below the preview on a phone) you'll find the Style, Colours, Shapes, Logo, Frame and More tabs. Every change shows up in the preview right away.
- Style: 14 ready-made styles. The default is Rounded ink, and a style changes colors and shapes but keeps your logo and frame.
- Colours: keep the code clearly darker than the background. If contrast is too low, you'll see Not enough contrast with a Fix button.
- Logo: the Drop a file here or choose from your device box takes PNG, JPG, WEBP or SVG up to 5 MB, and Quick icons add a ready-made icon. More in QR code generator with logo.
- Frame: a label above or below the code, “SCAN ME” by default, up to 24 characters.
- More: Error correction (leave it on Auto) and Margin (quiet zone), 4 modules by default.
Test before you print
The creator reads the preview with a real decoder, the way a phone would. You'll see Scans correctly, or This code may be hard to scan with one-click fixes: Fix contrast, Swap colours, Make logo smaller, Add more margin and Raise error correction.
Then scan the code with your phone's camera, ideally with both an iPhone and an Android phone. Before a big print run, print one copy at the final size and scan it from the distance people will. If something's off, QR code not working walks through the causes and fixes.
Which file to download
| Format | Best for | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Documents, slides, websites; transparent background | Free |
| JPG | The lightest file; always a white background | Free |
| WEBP | Websites | Free |
| SVG | Print and design software; a vector, sharp at any size | Free |
| Print; the size is the width of the code on paper | Pro | |
| EPS | Print shops and tools like Illustrator | Pro |
Sizes are 512, 1024 and 2048 px on Free and 4096 px on Pro; for PDF and EPS (Pro) you pick the print size in centimeters instead. As a rule of thumb, 2048 px at 300 dpi prints about 6.8 in (17 cm) wide.
Make your QR code
Paste a link, match your brand and check that it scans. You can change the link even after printing.
Paste your linkQuestions
Can I make a QR code for free?
Yes. linqr's Free plan gives you 3 active dynamic codes with unlimited link changes and scans, the full design with logo, colors and frames, and PNG, JPG, WEBP or SVG downloads up to 2048 px. There's no trial and no card. Pro costs $4.99 a month and adds unlimited codes, PDF and EPS files and full stats.
Can I make a QR code on my phone?
Yes, on an iPhone or an Android phone, in the browser, with no app to install. Copy the link with the share button, open linqr and tap Paste. The preview appears, and the design tabs sit below it. Tap Download QR code, sign in with Google or email, and the file saves wherever your phone keeps downloads.
Do I need an account?
To download the file, yes, but the account is free and takes Google or an email and password. The preview, design and scan check all work before you sign in. The code needs an owner, because that's what lets you change its link later, pause it or see its stats. Your saved codes are always in My codes.
Will the QR code work forever?
A linqr code has no expiry date built in, and the Free plan isn't a trial. You can pause a code or delete it yourself at any time in My codes. What happens to codes when Pro ends is set out in the terms of service, linked in the footer. A static code works as long as the page it points to exists.
Can I make a QR code for a Google Doc or Drive link?
Yes, as long as the file is shared. In Google Drive, click Share, set “General access” to “Anyone with the link” and copy the link, as Google's help describes, then paste it into linqr. If you later share a new file, change the link in My codes. More in QR code for Google Drive.
How long does it take to make a QR code for a link?
About a minute. In linqr the preview appears as soon as you paste the link, and the scan check shows Scans correctly within a moment. The only extra step the first time is a free account, with Google or an email and password, before the download. Styling with a logo, colors and a frame adds a few minutes if you want it.
Can I make a plain black and white QR code without a logo?
Yes. linqr starts with a plain dark code on a white background, and the logo, colors, shapes and frame are all optional. A plain code is the safest for small prints and scans on almost any phone. If you add a design later in the code's Design tab, it applies to future downloads; files you already printed keep their look and keep working.
Why does my QR code show a different address than the link I pasted?
Because a linqr code is dynamic. It holds a short link like onsonara.com/q/k7x2mz9, and our server redirects each scan to the address you pasted. That's what lets you change the destination later without a new code. Scanners see the short link for a moment, then your page opens, with no ad or extra page in between.
Can I make a QR code for a phone number or email address in linqr?
Not directly. A linqr code can only open a web page, so the link has to start with http:// or https://. For calls or emails, point the code at a contact page, a profile or a booking form that has the call or email button. The upside is that you can still change that page later without reprinting.
Can I edit a QR code after I download it?
Yes, both parts. The link can be changed any time in My codes with Change link, and every file you downloaded opens the new address right away. The design (colors, logo, frame) can be edited in the code's Design tab too, but that only changes future downloads, so you'd swap the file where you want the new look.
How many QR codes can I make for different links?
On linqr's Free plan you can have 3 active codes at the same time, each with its own link, and you can change those links as often as you like. Pro removes the limit, so you can make a separate code for every product, flyer or location. Codes are made one at a time: paste a link, save, repeat.