How to Make a QR Code for a Link: 5 Free Ways

To make a QR code for a link: copy the link, paste it into a QR code generator, and download the image. Your browser can do it too. Before you start, decide one thing: will this link ever change? That decides which kind of code to make.

First, decide: static or dynamic

• Static QR code: the link is stored in the pattern. Free, works with no account, never expires, but can't be changed or tracked. Fine for a link that will never move.
• Dynamic QR code: the pattern holds a short link you control. You can change where it points after printing and see how many people scanned it. Best for anything printed in volume or kept on display.

The full comparison is in dynamic vs static QR codes. Methods 1 to 4 below make static codes; method 5 makes a dynamic one.

Method 1: Google Chrome on a computer

1. Open the page you want a code for.
2. Click the More menu (three dots), then Cast, save, and share, then Create QR code (Chrome Help).
3. Click Download. Chrome saves the code as a PNG file.

Good for quick sharing. For print, the PNG may be too small; method 4 gives you an SVG that scales.

Method 2: Chrome on your phone

• Android: open the page, tap More, then Share..., then QR Code, and download it (Chrome Help).
• iPhone (Chrome app): open the page, tap Share, then Create a QR Code (Chrome Help).

Apple's iPhone guide describes how to scan a QR code but not a built-in way to make one in Safari, so on an iPhone use the Chrome app or a generator website.

Method 3: Microsoft Edge

Right-click a blank area of the page and choose Create QR code for this page, then download it as a PNG (Microsoft).

Method 4: A free QR code generator (best for print)

1. Open QRZY's free QR code generator. No sign-up.
2. Choose URL and paste your link.
3. Pick colors if you want them; keep the code darker than the background.
4. Download as SVG for print (sharp at any size) or PNG for screens.

It also makes codes for text, email, phone, SMS, WiFi and contact cards. These are static codes: they never expire, but the link inside can't be changed.

Method 5: A dynamic QR code you can change later

Use this for menus, signs, packaging, business cards and anything else you'll print more than a handful of. In QRZY, it's crazy simple:

1. Sign up free and click Create QR.
2. In the Details step, paste your link as the Default URL.
3. Skip the Workflow step, or add rules to change the destination by time or date.
4. In the Customize step, pick colors and error correction, then click Create QR Code and download it.

The code holds a short link (go.qrzy.co/ plus 8 characters), so it stays small and easy to scan however long your link is. Change the destination any time from the dashboard: the printed code keeps working. The Free plan includes one dynamic code; scans see a 5-second QRZY countdown first, and paid plans from $100 a year redirect instantly. See how to change a QR code after printing and how dynamic QR codes work.

Before you print

• Scan it with two phones, from the real distance.
• Size it for the distance: at least 2 x 2 cm, about one tenth of the scanning distance. See the QR code size guide.
• Check the colors: dark on light, strong contrast. See the QR code colors guide.
• Keep the white border around the code.

If it doesn't scan, the not-scanning checklist finds the cause. For a printed menu, see QR code menus for restaurants.

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a QR code for a link? Copy the link, paste it into a QR code generator, and download the image. In Chrome, you can also use the menu: Cast, save, and share, then Create QR code.

How do I make a QR code for a website for free? Use your browser's built-in option (Chrome or Edge) or a free generator. Both make static codes at no cost. For a code you can change later, QRZY's Free plan includes one dynamic code.

Can I make a QR code on my iPhone? Yes, with the Chrome app (Share, then Create a QR Code) or a generator website. Apple doesn't document a built-in QR maker in Safari.

Do these QR codes expire? Static codes don't. A dynamic code works as long as the service behind it keeps it active. See do QR codes expire.

Can I change the link after I make the QR code? Only with a dynamic code. A static code needs to be made and printed again.