by GelFuzion
Home / Brand & Media / QR Code Studio
03.01Brand & Media

QR Code Studio

Static QR codes for links, Wi-Fi, contact cards, email, SMS and phone calls. Your colors, your logo, PNG or SVG. They never expire and there is nothing to sign up for.

Updated
Content type
Error correction
Higher levels survive scuffs and logos but make a denser code.
Module style
4
The spec asks for 4. Go lower only if the code sits on a plain light area.
1024
Encoded payload

            

          

        

      

      

    


  

    

      

      

      

        
Static QR codes, explained

        
A QR code is just data drawn as a grid of dark and light squares called modules. Everything this tool makes is a static code: the link, Wi-Fi login or contact card is encoded straight into the pattern. No redirect server sits in the middle, so there is no subscription to lapse, no scan cap and no company that can switch your code off. Print it today and it still works in ten years.

        
The "dynamic" codes many generators push are really a short link to their server, which forwards to your page. That gives you scan analytics and an editable destination, but if the account expires the code goes dead on every menu, flyer and business card you printed. If you want editability without the lock-in, encode a URL on your own domain (for example yoursite.com/menu) and change what that page shows or where it redirects.


        
Picking the right content type

        
URL

        
The most reliable choice. Keep the URL short: fewer characters means fewer modules, which scans faster from further away. Add UTM tags if you want campaign tracking in Google Analytics, for example ?utm_source=flyer&utm_medium=qr.

        
Wi-Fi

        
Phones on iOS 11+ and Android 10+ read the WIFI: format natively and offer to join the network. Special characters in the network name or password are escaped for you. Pick "No password" for open guest networks.

        
WIFI:T:WPA;S:Studio Guest;P:correct-horse-battery;;

        
vCard, email, SMS and phone

        
A vCard saves a full contact in one scan, which is ideal for business cards and trade show badges. The email option pre-fills recipient, subject and body using a mailto: link, SMS pre-fills a text message, and phone starts a call. Each one opens the right app on the scanner's phone.


        
Design without breaking scans

        
    
          
  • Contrast first. Dark modules on a light background are the safe default. Inverted codes (light on dark) fail on some older scanner apps, and the tool warns you when contrast drops too low.
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  • Keep the quiet zone. The blank border is part of the spec. Four modules is standard; cramming a code against a busy photo is the most common reason a beautiful code will not scan.
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  • Logos need error correction. A center logo hides real data. Adding one locks error correction to H, which can rebuild around 30% of damaged modules, and caps the logo at about 22% of the width with a white pad.
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  • Leave the finder squares alone. The three big corner squares tell the camera where the code is. Rounded and dot styles soften them but keep their shape intact.
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PNG or SVG?

        
Use PNG for websites, slides and social posts. Use SVG for anything printed: it is a vector file, so it stays razor sharp on a business card or a two-meter banner, and print shops can drop it straight into InDesign or Illustrator. Always test the final printed piece with two different phones before a full print run.


        
Frequently asked questions

        

          
Do these QR codes expire?
No. These are static codes: the URL, Wi-Fi login or contact card is written directly into the pattern, so there is no server in the middle that can be switched off. A static code works for as long as the printed image exists.

          
Can I edit the destination after printing?
Not with a static code, because the data lives in the pattern itself. If you need to change it later, point the code at a URL you control, such as a short page on your own site, and update that page or redirect it instead.

          
Why did the error correction lock to H when I added a logo?
A center logo covers real modules. Level H can rebuild roughly 30 percent of the code, which gives the logo room without breaking scans. The tool also caps the logo at about 22 percent of the code width.

          
What size should a printed QR code be?
A practical rule is a width of at least one tenth of the scanning distance, and never under 2 cm. A code on a poster read from 2 m away should be about 20 cm wide. Use the SVG download for print so it stays sharp at any size.