Wi-Fi QR Code Generator

What a Wi-Fi QR code does

A Wi-Fi QR code is a normal QR code that holds a short line of text in a format phones understand: WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:Password;;. When someone points the camera of an iPhone or most Android phones at it, the phone offers to join that network with no typing. That makes it ideal for a cafe, a rental property, a meeting room, a clinic waiting area or your own living room, where guests keep asking for the password and it is always the long one with a capital letter and a symbol.

Because the code is static, the details live in the picture itself. There is nothing to host, no account and no expiry, and it keeps working for as long as the network name and password stay the same. For other kinds of QR code, including links, contact cards and phone numbers, see QR Code Studio, and read how to make QR codes that never expire for the static versus dynamic trade-off.

How to make one

1. Type the network name exactly as it appears in the Wi-Fi list, including capitals, spaces and punctuation. A mismatch is the most common reason a phone fails to join.
2. Enter the password and pick the security type. Choose WPA for WPA, WPA2 and WPA3 networks, which is nearly everything made in the last decade. Only choose WEP for very old equipment, and "No password" for open networks.
3. Tick Hidden network only if the router does not broadcast its name.
4. Download the printable card for a ready-to-print sign with a heading, the network name and optionally the password for guests whose phones cannot scan, or download the QR image alone to place in your own design.
5. Test it with a second phone before you print a hundred copies. Cameras are the quickest test and no app is needed.

Special characters are handled for you

The Wi-Fi format uses the characters backslash, semicolon, comma, colon and double quote as separators, so a password such as pa;ss:word would break a hand-written code. This generator escapes those characters with a backslash before encoding, which is what the format requires. The payload box under the code shows exactly what is stored, so you can see the escapes. Everything is computed in your browser and the network details are never sent to a server.

Keep it safe

• A printed code reveals the password to anyone who can see it. Treat it like writing the password on the wall. In a public place, put it on a guest network that is separate from your main network and your devices.
• Change the password and reprint if the code is photographed or if staff leave. Static codes cannot be revoked, only replaced.
• Use a long, random password. Because nobody has to type it, you can use 20 or more characters. The Password and Key Generator creates one with a good entropy estimate.
• Leave a quiet zone. Keep the white border around the code and print it at least 3 cm (about 1.2 inches) wide so cheap phone cameras can focus on it.

If the code does not scan

First check the basics: the phone camera has to be able to see the whole square, with decent light and no glare from glossy lamination. Next check contrast, because the downloaded code is black on white on purpose and inverted or coloured versions are harder for some scanners. If the phone reads the code but fails to connect, the network name or password does not match the router exactly, or the router is set to a security mode the phone no longer supports. A higher error correction level makes the code denser but more forgiving of scuffs, which matters for signs that will be handled or stuck outdoors.

Frequently asked questions